MMNHCHNMNMUMOMMMMW 


0UNGAUCTI0NEKR5 

BY  EDWARD  STRATE MEYER 


Working  Upmrd  Series 


»■»  »  »  »»  »  »  »  » 

Please 

handle  this  volume 

with  care. 

The  University  of  Connecticut 
Libraries,  Storrs 

■»  <>   »  ■»«■  »   »  »  *»•» 


5 


3  =1153  D1DSS1 


GAVLORD  RG 


YOUNG  AUCTIONEERS; 


OR, 


THE  POLISHING  OF  A  ROLLING  STONE. 


By  EDWARD  STRATEMEYER, 

Author  of  " Bound  to  be  an  UUctrician"  "Shorthand  Tom, 
"Fighting  for  his  Own,"  etc.,  etc. 


cx^oi/} 


W.  L.  ALLISON  COMPANY, 

NEW    YORK. 


Popular  Books  for  Boys  and  Girls. 

e^*  «<£*  5<£* 

Morfcins  tlpwarfc  Series, 

B/  EDWARD  STRATEME^ER. 

THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEERS,  or  The  Polishing  of  a  Rolling  Stone. 
BOUND  TO  BE  AN  ELECTRICIAN,  or  Franklin  Bell's  Success. 
SHORTHAND  TOM  THE  REPORTER,  or  The  Exploits  of  a  Smart 

Boy. 
FIGHTING  FOR  HIS  OWN,  or  The  Fortunes  of  a  Young  Artist. 
Price,  $1.00  per  Volume,  postpaid. 


JSriobt  anfc  JBolfc  Series, 

By  ARTHUR  M.  VVINFIELD. 
POOR  BUT  PLUCKY,  or  The  Mystery  of  a  Flood. 
SCHOOL  DAYS  OF  FRED  HARLEY,  or  Rivals  for  All  Honors. 
BY  PLUCK,  NOT  LUCK,  or  Dan  Granbury's  Struggle  to  Rise. 
THE    MISSING    TIN    BOX,    or    Hal  Carson's  Remarkable  City 
Adventures. 

Price,  75  Cents  per  Volume,  postpaid. 


EJoung  Sportsman's  Series, 

By  CAPTAIN  RALPH  BONEHILL. 

THE  RIVAL  BICYCLISTS,  or  Fun  and  Adventures  on  the  Wheel. 
YOUNG   OARSMEN  OF  LAKEVIEW,    cr  The  Mystery  of  Hermit 

Island. 
LEO  THE  CIRCUS  BOY,  or  Life  Under  the  Great  White  Canvas. 
Price,  75  Cents  per  Volume,  postpaid. 


Kouncj  Ibimters  Series, 

By  CAPTAIN  RALPH  BONEHILL. 

GUN  AND  SLED,  or  The  Young  Hunters  of  Snow-Top  Island. 
YOUNG  HUNTERS  IN  PORTO  RICO,  or  The  Search  for  a  Lost 
Treasure.  (Another  volume  in  preparation.) 

Price,  75  Cents  per  Volume,  postpaid. 


W.  L.  ALLISON  CO., 

105  Chambers  Street,  New  York. 

COPYRIGHT,    1897,   BY  W.  L.  ALLISON  CO. 


53 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER.  PAGE 

I.  Matt  Attends  a  Sale , 5 

II.  A  Lively  Discussion 12 

III.  Something  of  the  Past 19 

IV.  An  Interesting  Proposition 26 

V.  Matt  is  Discharged 33 

VI.  A  Business  Partnership 40 

VII.  Getting  Ready  to  Start 47 

VIII.  An  Unexpected  Set-Back 53 

IX.  The  Result  of  a  Fire 60 

X.  On  the  Road  at  Last 68 

XL  Harsh  Treatment 77 

XII.  Matt  Stands  Up  for  Himself 84 

XIII.  The  Corn  Salve  Doctor 92 

XIV.  The  Young  Auctioneer 100 

XV.  The  Charms  of  Music 108 

XVI.  The  Confidence  Man 116 

XVII.  The  Storm 124 

XVIII.   A  Hold  Up 132 

XIX.  Out  of  a  Bad  Scrape 141 

XX.  Accused  of  Stealing 150 

XXI.  The  Tell-Tale  Cap 157 

XXII.  The  Shanty  in  the  Woods 165 

XXIII.  Something  is  Missing 173 


iv  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER.  PAGE 

XXIV.  Along  the  River 181 

XXV.   A  Bitter  Mistake 189 

XXVI.  Something  of  a  Surprise 197 

XXVII.  Timely  Assistance 205 

XXVIII.  Back  to  the  Village 213 

XXIX.  Undesirable  Customers 220 

XXX.  A  Dash  from  Danger 229 

XXXI.  Dangerous  Mountain  Travelling 238 

XXXII.  An  Interesting  Letter 245 

XXXIII.  The  Rival  Auctioneers 252 

XXXIV.  Matt  Speaks  His  Mind 260 

XXXV.  Tom  Inwold 268 

XXXVI.   Lost  in  the  Snow 277 

XXXVII.   More  of  Auction  Life 284 

XXXVIII.   A  Surprising  Discovery 291 

XXXIX.  A  Mystery  Cleared  Up 298 

XL.  The  Mining  Shares 304 


PREFACE 


"The  Young  Auctioneers"  forms  the  initial 
volume  of  a  line  of  juvenile  stories  called  "The 
Working  Upward  Series." 

The  tale  is  complete  in  itself,  and  tells  of  the  ad- 
ventures of  a  homeless,  although  not  a  penniless 
youth,  who  strikes  up  an  acquaintanceship  with 
another  3'oung  fellow  experienced  as  an  auctioneer. 
The  two  purchase  a  horse  and  wagon,  stock  up  with 
goods,  and  take  to  the  road.  The  partners  pass 
through  a  number  of  more  or  less  trying  experiences, 
and  the  younger  lad  is  continually  on  the  lookout  for 
his  father,  who  has  broken  out  of  an  asylum  while 
partly  deranged  in  mind  over  the  loss  of  his  wife  and 
his  fortune. 

I  have  endeavored  in  this  tale  to  give  a  faithful 
picture  of  life  among  a  certain  class  of  traveling 
salesmen  who  are  but  little  known  to  the  world  at 
large,  especially  to  those  wTho  inhabit  our  large  cities. 
In  country  places  the  traveling  auctioneer  is  looked 
for  ms  a  matter  of  course,  and  he  is  treated  according 


IV  PREFACE. 

to  the  humor  of  the  inhabitants,  or  rather,  according 
to  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  "bargains"  offered 
on  a  previous  trip. 

I  sincerely  trust  that  my  numerous  boy  readers 
will  find  the  tale  to  their  liking,  and  that  the  moral 
— to  lead  an  upright,  honest  life  under  any  and  all 
circumstances — will  not  escape  them. 

Edward  Stratemeyer. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEE  I. 


MATT    ATTENDS    A    SALE. 


"  Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  what  am  I  offered  for 
this  elegant  vase,  imported  direct  from  Italy,  a  most 
marvelous  piece  of  workmanship,  worth  every  cent 
of  twenty-five  dollars?  Who  will  start  it  at  live 
dollars  %  Start  it  at  four  ?  Start  it  at  three  ?  At 
two  ?  At  one  dollar  ?  What  is  that — fifty  cents  ? 
Rather  low,  lady,  but  as  I  said  before,  these  goods 
must  be  sold,  regardless  of  the  prices  obtained. 
Fifty  cents,  it  is !  Fifty — fifty  !  Who  will  make  it 
one  dollar  ?" 

"  Sixty !" 

"What,  only  sixty?  Well,  well,  well!  Never 
mind,  the  goods  must  go,  and  sixty  cents  is  better 
than  nothing.     Sixty — sixty " 

"Seventy-five!" 

"  Eighty !" 


6  THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER, 

"One  dollar!" 

"At  last  I  am  offered  one  dollar !  Think  of  it ! 
One  dollar  for  a  beautiful  vase  such  as  might  well 
adorn  the  home  of  a  Gould,  or  a  Vanderbilt !  But 
such  is  life.     One  dollar — one  dollar " 

"  One  and  a  quarter !" 

"  One  and  a  half !" 

"  One  and  a  half  is  offered !  Oh,  what  a  shame, 
ladies  and  gentlemen ;  a  paltry  dollar  and  a  half  for 
an  article  worth,  at  the  very  lowest  estimate,  twenty- 
five  dollars.     Who  makes  it  two  dollars  ?" 

"  Two  I" 

"  Two  and  a  half !" 

"Three!" 

"  Three  and  a  quarter !" 

"  Three  and  a  quar —  Ah,  four  dollars  ?  Four 
dollars !  Who  says  iive  ?  Going  at  four — at  four — 
at  four.  Four  and  a  half — four  and  a  quarter — this 
is  your  last  chance,  remember.  Did  you  say  five, 
sir?  No?  Well,  four  it  is,  then.  Going — going — 
the  last  chance,  ladies  a*nd  gentlemen !  Going — 
going — gone,  to  the  lady  in  the  brown  dress,  An- 
drew, for  four  dollars !" 

The  scene  was  a  small  store  on  Nassau  street  near 
Fulton  street,  in  New  York  City.  Outside  of  the 
open  doorway  hung  a  red  flag,  indicative  of  an  auc- 
tion sale.     The  single   window  of   the  place   was 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  ? 

crowded  with  vases,  imitation  marble  statues,  plated 
tableware,  and  gorgeous  lamps  of  highly-polished 
metal. 

Among  these  articles  was  a  sign  in  black  letters 
on  white  cardboard  bearing  these  words : 

ROYAL  CONSIGNMENT  AUCTION  CO., 
Sales  Daily  from  10  a.m.  to  3  p.m. 

Inside,  toward  the  rear,  there  was  a  small  raised 
platform,  and  upon  this  stood  the  auctioneer,  a  tall, 
thin-faced  man,  with  sharp  black  eyes,  and  rather  a 
squeaky  voice.  To  one  side  Avas  his  assistant,  a 
much  younger  and  much  more  pleasant-looking  indi- 
vidual, who  wrapped  up  the  articles  sold  and  collected 
for  them. 

It  was  between  twelve  and  one  o'clock  in  the  day, 
and  the  auction  store  was  crowded  with  business 
people,  who,  during  their  lunch-time,  had  dropped 
in  to  see  what  was  going  on,  and,  possibly,  make  a 
purchase.  There  were  middle-aged  business  men, 
young  clerks,  and  several  young  ladies,  and  all  ap- 
peared interested  in  the  mild  excitement  attending 
the  disposal  of  the  goods. 

Among  the  young  people  present  was  a  boy  of 
fifteen,  whose  clothing,  although  not  of  a  fashiona- 
ble cut,  was,  nevertheless,  neat  and  clean.     lie  had 


8  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

dark  curly  hair,  and  his  face  was  as  honest  in 
appearance  as  it  was  fearless  and  handsome. 

The  youth  was  as  much  interested  in  the  sale  as 
though  he  was  buying  half  the  articles  auctioned 
off,  although  he  had  not  enough  in  his  trousers 
pocket  to  even  start  bidding,  for  no  bid  of  less  than 
twenty-five  cents  was  recognized  by  the  auctioneer 
in  beginning  a  sale. 

The  vase  disposed  of,  the  auctioneer's  assistant 
brought  forth  from  a  side  shelf  a  piece  of  imitation 
marble  statuary,  representing  three  doves  bearing  a 
wrreath  of  flowers  between  them.  The  bit  of  bric- 
a-brac  looked  quite  nice,  but  as  it  was  but  imitation 
marble,  it  was  not  worth  more  than  two  dollars,  if 
as  much. 

"  Now,  here  we  have  as  fine  a  piece  of  Italian 
marble  as  was  ever  brought  to  Xew  York,"  began 
the  auctioneer,  holding  up  the  piece  in  question. 
"And  the  work  upon  it  cannot  to-day  be  excelled 
by  any  sculptors  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  How 
beautiful  are  those  three  doves,  and  how  natural 
that  wreath!  Examine  the  piece  for  yourselves, 
ladies  and  gentlemen.  It  is  genuine  Italian  marble, 
and  will  not  go  to  pieces  in  your  hands.  There  you 
are,  sir." 

The  bit  of  statuary  was  handed  to  a  gentleman 
who  stood  directly  in  front  of  the  auctioneer.     He 


THE  TOUNO  AUVTIONEEh.  9 

gave  it  a  hasty  glance  and  then  started  to  hand  it 
back. 

"  Pass  it  through  the  crowd,  please.  I  want  every 
one  to  be  convinced  of  its  quality  before  I  attempt 
to  sell  it !"  bawled  the  auctioneer,  and  the  gentleman 
handed  it  to  the  man  next  to  him. 

Thus  started,  the  bit  of  bric-a-brac  traveled  from 
one  hand  to  another  until  it  reached  a  heavy-set  man 
with  red  mustache,  who  stood  bat  a  couple  of  yards 
from  the  doorway. 

"  Humph !"  muttered  the  man,  as  he  turned  over 
the  article  in  contempt.  "  I  wouldn't  give  a  dollar 
a  cartload  for  them.     Here  you  are !" 

As  he  finished,  he  thrust  the  piece  of  bric-a-brac 
toward  a  young  lady  who  had  just  entered.  She 
drew  back  in  surprise,  not  knowing  what  his  action 
meant.  The  statuary  left  the  man's  hand,  touched 
the  young  lady's  arm,  and  then  fell  to  the  floor  with 
a  crash,  and  was  broken  into  a  dozen  pieces. 

The  young  lady  uttered  a  slight  shriek  of  surprise 
at  the  accident,  and  instantly  the  crowd  looked 
toward  her,  and  then  at  the  auctioneer. 

"  Here,  who  broke  that  ?"  demanded  the  auction- 
eer, in  an  entirely  different  tone  of  voice,  as  he  left 
his  stand  and  hurried  to  the  spot. 

"  That  young  lady,"   replied  a  fellow  who  had 


10  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

not  seen  the  movements  of  the  man  with  the  red 
mustache. 

"  No !  no !  I  did  not  do  it !"  cried  the  young 
lady,  shrinking  back.  "  I  did  not  touch  the  piece, 
sir." 

"  Well,  but  it's  right  at  your  feet,  madam ;  you 
must  have  let  it  fall,"  said  the  auctioneer  harshly. 
"  I  did  not,  sir." 
"  Well,  who  did,  then  ?" 

"  A  man  who  ran  out  as  soon  as  the  statuary  was 
broken.1' 

"  Oh,  pshaw  !  It  isn't  likely  a  man  would  run 
away  like  that." 

"  The  young  lady  speaks  the  truth,  sir,"  put  in 
the  boy  previously  mentioned.  "The  man  shoved 
the  statue  toward  her,  and  when  she  drew  back  it 
slipped  from  his  hand  to  the  floor.  She  was  not  in 
the  least  responsible." 

"  Thank  you  for  that,  Matt  Lincoln,"  said  the 
young  lady,  with  a  grateful  nod.  "  I  shall  not  for- 
get this  service." 

"  Oh,  that's  all  right,  Miss  Bartlett,"  returned  the 
boy,  blushing.     "  I  like  to  be  of  service  to  you." 

"  You  evidently  seem  to  know  this  young  lady  ?" 
said  the  auctioneer,  turning  to  Matt  Lincoln. 

"I  do;  she  is  the  stenographer  at  our  office. 
That's  how  1  came  to  notice  her  when  she  came  in." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  \\ 

"No  wonder  you  try  to  shield  her  !"  sneered  the 
auctioneer.  "But  I  can't  afford  to  let  this  matter 
pass.  You  will  have  to  pay  for  the  damages  done, 
madam.  The  cost  price  of  that  piece  of  bric-a-brac 
was  ten  dollars,  but  I'll  throw  off  two  dollars  and 
call  it  eight." 


12  TEE  TOUNQ  A I  EEB. 


CHAPTER    II. 


A    LIVELY    DISCUSS 


At  the  intimation  that  she  must  pay  eight  dollars, 

the  face  of  the  young  lady  stenographer  grew  pale, 
while  that  of  Matt  Lincoln  flushed  up. 

*■  I — I  cannot  pay  the  money  !"  gasped  Ida  Bart- 
Lett.     "  I  have  no  such  amount  with  me." 

B  It's  a  swindle !"  burst  in  Matt  Lincoln  indig- 
nantly. ••  Don't  you  pay  a  cent.  Miss  Bartlett.  It 
was  not  your  fault,  and  he  cannot  force  you  to  pay." 

••  Shut  right  up  !"  snarled  the  auctioneer,  turning 
to  Matt  fiercely.  -  L'nless  you  want  to  get  your- 
self into  trouble." 

••  I  won't  shut  up  and  see  this  young  lady  ill- 
treated  !"  retorted  Matt,  flushing  still  more.  "  Yon 
may  think  you  can  ride  over  me.  but  you  can't  do 
it.     I'll " 

u  Hush.  Matt  !"  pleaded  the  stenographer,  catch- 
ing him  by  the  arm.     "  Do  not  say  anything  rash." 

••  But.  Miss  Bartlett.  this  chap  wants  to  force  you 
into  paying  for  something  you  didn't  do  !  I  wouldn't 
stand  it !     I'd  tight  him  first  j" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  13 

"  You  would,  would  you?"  growled  the  auction- 
eer, his  face  growing  dark  and  sour, 

"  Yes,  I  would  I"  retorted  the  boy  defiantly. 
"  Tin  not  afraid  of  you!" 

"  Say,  that  boy's  game  I"  laughed  a  bystander, 

"  Yes,  a  regular  little  bantam,"  replied  another, 

"  HI  settle  with  you  in  a  minute,"  said  the  auc- 
tioneer, finding  he  could  not  silence  Matt.  "  Now, 
madam,  do  you  intend  to  pay  for  the  damage  done 
or  not  ?" 

"  I  did  not  do  the  damage,  and  I  cannot  see  how 
you  can  ask  me  to  pay,"  faltered  Ida  Bartlett, 

"  I  have  proof  that  you  let  the  piece  of  bric-a- 
brac  fall." 

"  The  chap  who  says  he  saw  her  drop  it  had  his 
back  turned  at  the  time,"  put  in  Matt,  and  turning 
to  the  individual  in  question,  he  added  :  "  Can  you 
swear  that  you  saw  the  piece  of  statuary  leave  her 
hand  ?" 

"  N-no,  I  can't  do  that,"  returned  the  fellow 
slowly,     "  But  it  went  down  at  her  feet,  and n 

"  You  imagined  the  rest,"  finished  Matt.  "  1  told 
you  so,"  he  went  on  triumphantly. 

"  See  here  ;  you  shut  up,"  cried  the  auctioneer, 
losing  his  temper.  "  Dilks,  come  here  and  help 
me,"  he  went  on,  appealing  to  the  assistant  he  had 
before  called  Andrew. 


14  Till'  TOUNQ  AUCTIONEER. 

The  assistant  auctioneer  came  forward  upon  this. 
His  face  wore  a  troubled  look,  as  if  he  did  not  relish 
the  duty  he  was  called  upon  to  perform. 

uFm  afraid  there  is  some  mistake  here,  Mr. 
Gulligan,"  he  said  in  a  low  tone,  meant  only  for  the 
auctioneer's  ears, 

"  Some  mistake !"  howled  Caleb  Gulligan,  for 
such  was  the  auctioneer's  name.  "  I  don't  make 
mistakes.-' 

"  I  saw  the  man  run  out  as  soon  as  the  statuary 
was  broken,  and  by  his  manner  I  am  sure  he  must 
be  the  guilty  party." 

"  See  here,  Andrew  Dilks,  who  is  running  this 
establishment?"  stormed  Caleb  Gulligan  wrath- 
fully.  "  I  lay  the  accident  at  the  door  of  the 
young  woman,  and,  as  the  man  is  gone,  she  will 
pay  the  bill — or  take  the  consequences." 

The  assistant  auctioneer  flushed  up  at  these 
words.  It  was  plain  to  see  that  he  was  an  honest 
young  man,  and  did  not  like  such  underhand  work 

"  Perhaps  she  hasn't  the  money  to  pay  ?" 

"  Then  she  must  take  the  consequences,"  replied 
the  auctioneer  sourly. 

"  Xot  much  !"  put  in  Matt,  who  had  overheard 
the  best  part  of  the  conversation  between  Caleb 
Gulligan  and  his  assistant,     "Miss  Bartlett,  if  I  was 


'/7//<;  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER  K, 

you  I  wouldn't  stay  here  another  minute/'  be  went 
on  to  the  stenographer,  in  a  whisper. 

"Why,  what  would  yon  do?"  she  returned 

"  Skip  out.  They  haven't  any  right  to  make  you 
trouble." 

"  But,  Matt,  that  would  not  be  right." 

"  Never  mind  ;  go  ahead.  You  haven't  any  friend 
here  but  me.  Mr  Fenton  wouldn't  help  you  any, 
even  if  you  ask  him." 

The  young  lady  stood  still  for  a  moment,  and 
then  made  a  sudden  movement  for  the  doorway. 
Caleb  Gulligan  rushed  after  her,  only  to  find  Matt 
Lincoln  barring  his  progress, 

"  Get  out  of  my  way,  boy  !" 

"  Which  way  ?"  queried  Matt  coolly. 

"  You  rat !     Out  of  my  way  !" 

The  auctioneer  placed  his  hand  upon  the  boy's 
arm,  with  the  intention  of  hurling  him  aside.  But, 
strange  to  say,  although  he  was  taller  than  the 
youth,  he  could  not  budge  the  latter  for  several  sec- 
onds, and  by  that  time  the  young  lady  had  disap- 
peared, swallowed  up  in  the  noonday  crowd  which 
surged  past  the  door. 

"Now  see  what  you  have  done!1'  stormed  Caleb 
Gulligan  wrathfully.  "  You  have  aided  that  young 
woman  to  escape !" 

"That's  just  what  I  meant  to  do,"  returned  Malt, 


16  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 

with  a  coolness  that  would  have  been  exasperat- 
ing to  even  a  less  sensitive  man  than  the  crusty 
auctioneer. 

"  I  shall  hold  you  responsible  for  it !" 

"  I  don't  care  if  you  do,"  was  Matt's  dogged  reply. 
"  She's  my  friend,  and  I  always  stick  up  for  my 
friends." 

At  this  last  remark  there  was  a  low  murmur  of 
approval  from  those  gathered  about.  Evidently, 
the  boy's  unpolished  but  honest  manner  had  won 
considerable  admiration. 

" Do  you  know  that  I  can  have  you  locked  up?" 

"What  for?" 

"  For  aiding  her  to  escape." 

"  Didn't  she  have  a  right  to  hurry  away  if  she 
wanted  to  go  ?  It's  almost  one  o'clock — I'll  have  to 
be  off  myself  soon,  if  I  want  to  keep  my  job," 

There  was  a  laugh  at  this,  and  half  a  dozen  looked 
at  their  watches  and  left. 

"  If  you  please,"  put  in  the  assistant  nervously. 
"  Had  we  not  better  go  on  with  the  sales  (  The 
crowd  will  be  gone  before  long.  AVe  might  make 
more  than  what  was  lost  here." 

"  Certainly,  go  on  with  the  sales,"  howled  Caleb 
Gulligan.  "  I  will  take  care  of  this  young  rascal, 
and  find  out  what  has  become  of  that  young  woman." 

"And  that  man,"  began  the  assistant. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  17 

"  Never  mind  the  man  ;  the  young  woman  shall 
pay  for  the  damage  done,  and  she  can  fix  it  up  with 
the  man  afterward,  if  she  wishes.  I  am  not  going 
to  stand  the  loss." 

"It  seems  to  me  you  are  making  an  awful  row 
over  a  fifteen-cent  piece  of  plaster-of-paris,"  said 
Matt  to  Gulligan,  as  Andrew  Dilks  turned  toward 
the  auctioneer's  stand.  "  Why  didn't  you  ask  me  to 
pay  for  the  stuff  and  done  ?" 

"Plaster-of-paris !"  cried  the  auctioneer  wrathfully. 
"  That  is  real  Italian  marble " 

"  Made  in  Centre  street,"  interrupted  Matt. 

"And  it  is  worth  every  cent  of  ten  dollars " 

"  Ten  dollars  a  carload,  you  mean,"  went  on  the 
boy.     "  Come,  let  go  of  me  ;  I've  got  to  go  to  work." 

"  You'll  go  to  the  Tombs  !" 

"  No,  I  won't.  I  have  done  nothing  wrong,  and  I 
want  you  to  let  go  of  me." 

Matt  began  to  struggle,  much  to  the  delight  of  the 
spectators,  who  refused  to  listen  to  what  the  assist- 
ant auctioneer  might  have  to  say  from  the  stand. 

"I'll  teach  you  a  lesson !"  fumed  Caleb  Gulligan. 
"  How  do  you  like  that  ?" 

He  swung  Matt  around  and  caught  him  by  the 
throat  and  the  collar.  But  only  for  an  instant  was 
he   able   to   hold   the   boy  in   that   fashion.     Matt 

squirrnod  and  twisted   liko  an  ool,  and  suddenly  :<j;ivo, 


18  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

the  old  auctioneer  a  push  which  sent  him  sprawling 
upon  his  back.  Before  Caleb  Gulligan  could  recover^ 
Matt  was  out  of  the  door  and  running  like  a  deer  up 
Nassau  street. 

"Hi!  hi!  stop  him '."roared  the  old  auctioneer 
"  He  must  not  get  away." 

"  Stop  him  yourself,  then,"  said  one  of  the  by 
standers  heartlessly.  "  AVe  have  nothing  to  do  with 
your  quarrel  with  the  boy." 

"  You  are  in  league  with  him,"  fumed  Caleb  Gul- 
ligan, as  he  scrambled  to  his  feet.  "But,  never 
mind,  I'll  catch  him  !" 

He  ran  out  of  the  auction  store  and  gazed  per 
plexedly  up  and  down  into  the  crowd.  It  was 
useless.  Matt  Lincoln,  like  his  friend,  Ida  Bartlett, 
had  disappeared. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  19 


CHAPTER  III. 

SOMETHING    OF    THE    PAST. 

Matt  Lincoln  did  not  stop  until  he  reached  Tem- 
ple Court,  as  that  large  office-building  on  the  corner 
of  Nassau  and  Beekman  streets  is  called.  Then  he 
drew  a  long  breath  as  he  took  a  stand  in  one  corner 
of  a  side  corridor. 

"  There,  I've  put  my  foot  into  it  again,  I  sup- 
pose," he  said,  somewhat  dismally.  "  I  reckon  old 
Uncle  Dan  was  right,  I'm  the  rolling  stone  that's 
forever  getting  into  a  hole  and  out  without  settling 
anywhere.  But  I  couldn't  stand  it  to  see  Miss 
Bartlett  threatened.  It'  wasn't  a  fair  thing  to  do, 
and  that  auctioneer  ought  to  be  run  out  of  the  city. 
I  suppose  he'll  he  after  my  scalp  now." 

Matt  Lincoln  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  For  the 
past  two  years  he  had  been  depending  entirely  upon 
himself,  and  during  that  time  he  had,  indeed,  been 
a  rolling  stone,  although  not  entirely  without  an 
object. 

Up  to  his  tenth   year  Matt   had   lived  with  his 


20  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

father  and  mother  in  the  Harlem  district  of  the 
great  metropolis.  He  had  attended  one  of  the 
public  schools,  and,  take  it  all  in  all,  had  been  a 
happy  boy. 

Then  came  a  cloud  over  the  Lincoln  home.  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  interested,  as  a  speculator,  in  some 
mines  in  Montana,  and  by  a  peculiar  manipulation 
of  the  stocks  of  these  mines  he  lost  every  dollar  of 
his  hard-earned  savings.  He  was  an  over-sensitive 
man,  and  these  losses  preyed  upon  his  mind  until 
he  was  affected  mentally,  and  had  to  be  sent  to  an 
asylum. 

For  several  months  Mrs.  Lincoln  and  Matt  paid 
weekly  visits  to  the  asylum  to  see  the  father  and 
husband,  and  they  were  beginning  to  rejoice  over 
the  thought  that  Mr.  Lincoln  would  soon  be  him- 
self once  more,  when  one  day  Mrs.  Lincoln  fell 
down  in  the  middle  of  Broadway,  and  a  heavily- 
loaded  truck  passed  directly  over  her  chest. 

When  the  poor  woman  was  picked  up  it  was 
found  she  was  unconscious.  An  ambulance  was  at 
once  summoned,  and  she  was  conveyed  to  one  of 
the  city  hospitals.  Here  Matt  visited  her,  and 
listened  to  her  last  words  of  love  and  advice.  She 
died  before  sunrise  the  next  day,  and  three  days 
later  was  buried. 

If  his  mother's  unexpected  death  was  a  shock  to 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  21 

poor  Matt,  it  was  even  more  of  a  one  to  Mr.  Lin- 
coln. Again  was  the  father  and  husband's  mind 
unbalanced  ;  this  time  far  worse  than  ever  before. 
He  escaped  from  the  asylum,  made  a  dramatic  ap- 
pearance at  the  home  during  the  burial  services, 
and  then  disappeared,  no  one  knew  where. 

Matt's  only  remaining  relative  at  this  time  was 
his  Uncle  Dan,  a  brother  to  Mr.  Lincoln.  He  took 
charge  of  Matt,  and  took  the  boy  to  his  home  in 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut.  At  the  same  time  a  dili- 
gent search  for  Mr.  Lincoln  was  begun. 

The  search  for  Matt's  father  was  unsuccessful, 
although  continued  for  several  weeks.  It  was 
learned  that  he  had  boarded  a  train  in  Jersey 
City  bound  for  Philadelphia,  but  there  all  trace  of 
his  whereabouts  was  lost. 

Matt  lived  with  his  Uncle  Dan  for  four  years. 
He  went  to  school  in  Bridgeport  part  of  the  time, 
and  when  not  learning,  could  be  found  at  Mr.  Lin- 
coln's ship  chandlery,  a  large  place,  situated  down 
near  the  docks. 

It  would  seem  that  the  tragic  occurrences  through 
which  he  had  passed  would  have  made  Matt  melan- 
choly and  low-spirited,  but  such  was  not  the  case. 
Mrs.  Lincoln  had  naturally  been  of  a  light  heart, 
and  the  boy  partook  of  much  of  his  mother's  dispo- 
sition.    He  loved  a  free-and-easy  life,  loved  to  roam 


22  7HE  TO  VNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

from  place  to  place.  With  a  captain  who  w«*s  a 
friend  of  Uncle  Dan,  he  had  made  a  trip  to  Bangor 
and  Augusta,  and  he  had  likewise  put  in  two  weeks 
at  a  lumber  camp  in  Maine,  and  a  month  during 
the  summer  at  a  hotel  among  the  White  Mountains, 
doing  odd  jobs  for  the  proprietor. 

"  A  rolling  stone  and  nothing  less,"  Uncle  Dan 
had  called  him,  over  and  over  again,  and  the  title 
seemed  to  fit  Matt  exactly. 

At  length,  when  Matt  was  fourteen  years  old, 
Uncle  Dan  Lincoln,  who  was  then  an  elderly  man, 
was  taken  with  pneumonia,  and  died  two  we<  ks 
later.  His  wife,  a  crabbed  woman,  who  detested 
Matt,  and  was  glad  when  he  was  out  of  the  house. 
at  once  sold  out  the  chandlery,  and  went  to  live 
with  her  folks  in  a  small  village  in  Vermont.  Thus 
Matt  was  thrown  out  upon  his  own  resources  with 
no  capital  but  a  ten  dollar  bill,  which  his  Un< 
had  quietly  slipped  into  his  hand  only  a  few  days 
before  the  end. 

Matt  remained  around  Bridgeport  but  two  days 
after  his  uncle's  funeral.  Then  he  struck  up  a  bar- 
gain with  the  captain  of  a  schooner  which  was 
loaded  with  freight  for  Philadelphia,  and  sailed  for 
that  city. 

When  no  trace  of  Matt's  father  could  be  found 

tin-  i  ho  had  been  put  on  the  case  ,]i>- 


THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEEll.  23 

dared  their  belief  that  the  poor  man  had  drowned 
himself  in  the  Delaware  River.  This  belief  was 
strengthened  when  some  clothing  that  looked  like 
that  which  the  demented  man  had  worn  was  found 
in  a  secluded  spot  not  far  from  the  river  bank. 

But  Matt  could  not  bring  himself  to  believe  that 
his  father  was  dead.  There  was  a  hope  in  his  breast 
which  amounted  almost  to  a  conviction  that  some 
day  he  would  again  find  his  parent,  alive  and  well. 

Yet  Matt's  search  in  and  around  Philadelphia, 
lasting  several  months,  was  unsuccessful.  His  money 
was  soon  spent,  and  then  he  started  to  tramp  from 
Philadelphia  to  his  former  home,  New  York. 

This  tramp,  of  about  one  hundred  miles  by  the 
various  turnpikes  through  New  Jersey,  took  the  boy 
just  one  week,  and  when  he  arrived  in  the  metrop- 
olis, both  his  clothing  and  his  shoes  were  consider- 
ably Avorn.  But  he  brushed  up,  and  lost  no  time  in 
hunting  up  work,  knowing  that  it  would  never  do 
to  remain  idle. 

For  two  days  Matt  was  without  employment. 
Then  he  thought  of  the  man  who  had  sold  his  father 
the  mining  shares,  Mr.  Randolph  Fenton,  and  he 
paid  the  stock-broker  a  visit  at  his  offices,  on  Broad 
street,  just  off  of  Wall  street. 

As  it  happened,  Randolph  Fenton  was  just  then 
in  need  of  a  boy  to  run  errands  and  do  copying,  and 


24  THE  YO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

after  a  talk  with  Matt,  he  hired  him  at  a  salary  of 
four  dollars  a  week. 

"  I'll  take  you  in  because  I  thought  so  much  of 
your  dear  father,"  explained  Randolph  Fenton. 
"  We  were  great  friends,  you  must  know,  and  I  feel 
it  my  duty  to  do  something  for  his  son." 

Randolph  Fenton  spoke  very  nicely,  but  Matt 
soon  found  that  he  was  by  no  means  the  kind- 
hearted  gentleman  he  wished  to  appear.  In  reality, 
he  was  very  mean  and  close.  He  worked  his  clerks 
almost  to  death,  and  such  a  thing  as  a  raise  in  salary 
was  unknown  in  the  office. 

But  Matt  found  it  would  do  no  good  to  complain. 
Times  were  just  then  somewhat  hard,  and  another 
place  was  not  easy  to  obtain.  He  decided  to  make 
the  most  of  it  until  times  grew  better,  and  in  this 
resolve  remained  with  Randolph  Fenton  week  after 
week  until  the  opening  of  this  story. 

Matt  had  been  sent  by  Randolph  Fenton  on  an 
errand  to  Temple  Court,  to  be  done  as  soon  as  the 
boy  had  finished  lunch.  Waiting  for  another 
minute  to  make  certain  that  he  was  not  being  fol- 
lowed, the  boy  hurried  to  one  of  the  elevators,  and 
was  lifted  to  the  third  floor. 

The  errand  was  quickly  transacted,  and  with 
several  books  under  his  arm  for  his  employer,  Matt 
started  on  the  return  to  the  offices  in  Broad  street. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  2a 

Not  wishing  to  be  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
auction  store,  Matt  turned  clown  Park  Eow  instead 
of  Nassau  street,  and  so  continued  down  Broadway, 
his  intention  being  to  pass  through  Wall  to  Broad. 

He  had  just  reached  the  corner  of  Fulton  street 
when  some  one  tapped  him  upon  the  shoulder,  and 
turning,  he  found  himself  confronted  by  Andrew 
Dilks,  the  old  auctioneer's  assistant. 


2Q  TEE  TOUNQ  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

AN    INTERESTING    PROPOSITION. 

On  catching  sight  of  Andrew  Dilks  Matt's  first 
thought  was  to  break  and  run.  But  a  second  look 
into  the  old  auctioneer's  assistant's  face  assured  him 
that  no  immediate  harm  was  meant,  and  he  stood 
his  ground,  his  eves  flashing,  defiantly. 

"  You  didn't  expect  us  to  meet  quite  so  soon,  did 
;ou  ?"  remarked  Andrew  Dilks  with  a  quiet  smile. 

"  No,  I  didn't,"  returned  Matt  bluntly. 

"  1  suppose  you  were  doing  your  best  to  keep  out 
of  the  way  of  Gulligan  and  myself.'' 

"Is  Gulligan  the  man  I  had  the  row  with  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  you  are  right.  I  don't  want  to  get  into 
trouble  for  nothing.  That  young  lady  was  not  to 
blame  for  what  happened,  and  I  considered  it  my 
duty  to  take  her  part." 

"  Mr.  Gulligan  was  very  mad,'1  went  on  Andrew 
Dilks,  still  smiling  quietly. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER  27 

"  I  can't  help  that.  lie  ought  not  to  have  pitched 
into  me  the  way  he  did." 

"I  agree  with  you." 

At  these  words,  so  quietly  but  firmly  spoken, 
Matt's  eyes  opened  in  wonder.  Was  it  possible  that 
the  old  auctioneer's  assistant  took  his  part? 

"  You  agree  with  me  ?"  he  repeated. 

"Yes,  I  agree  with  you.  Gulligan  was  alto- 
gether too  hasty — he  most  generally  is,"  returned 
Andrew  Dilks. 

"  I'll  bet  you  don't  dare  tell  him  that,"  and  Matt 
grin  n  ed  mischievously. 

"  I  have  just  told  him." 

"  What  ?" 

"  Yes.  I  believe  that  unknown  man  was  entirely 
to  blame.  It  was  a  shame  the  way  Gulligan  carried 
on.  As  soon  as  you  ran  out  he  turned  upon  me  for 
not  stopping  you,  and  we  had  some  pretty  hot 
words." 

"  Good  for  you  !"  cried  Matt.  "  I  must  thank 
you,  not  only  for  myself,  but  for  Miss  Bartlett  as 
well." 

"  Those  hot  words  have  cost  me  my  situation," 
Avent  on  Andrew  Dilks  more  soberly. 

Instantly  Matt's  face  fell. 

"That's  too  bad,  indeed,  it  is!"  he  said  earn- 
estly.    "  Why,  I  would  rather  have  gone  home  and 


28  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

got  the  money  to  pay  for  the  broken  stuff  than  have 
that  happen." 

"  It  was  not  altogether  on  account  of  the  broken 
piece  of  bric-a-brac,"  went  on  Andrew  Dilks. 
"  Gulligan  has  been  angry  at  me  for  over  two  weeks 
— ever  since  I  wouldn't  pass  off  a  counterfeit  five- 
dollar  bill  he  had  taken  in.  I  said  the  bill  ought  to 
be  burned  up,  but  he  wouldn't  hear  of  it." 

"  But  now  you  are  out  of  a  job." 

"  That's  true.  But  I  don't  much  care.  Working 
for  him  was  not  easy,  and  he  never  paid  me  my 
weekly  wages  of  ten  dollars  until  I  had  asked  for  it 
about  a  dozen  times." 

"  I  thought  auctioneers  made  more  than  that," 
said  Matt.  There  was  something  about  Andrew 
Dilks  that  pleased  him,  and  he  was  becoming  inter- 
ested in  the  conversation. 

"  Most  of  them  do — a  good  deal  more.  But 
Gulligan  considered  that  he  had  taught  me  the 
business,  and  that  I  was  still  under  his  thumb." 

"Why  don't  you  go  in  business  for  yourself? 
It  seems  to  me  it  would  just  suit  me,"  said  Matt 
enthusiastically.  "  I  once  passed  through  the  town 
of  Rah  way,  out  in  New  Jersey,  and  a  fellow  not 
much  older  than  you  had  a  big  wagon  there,  and 
was  auctioning  stuff  off  at  a  great  rate — crockery 
ware,   lamps,   albums,   razors,   and  a   lot  more  of 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  29 

goods.     They  said  he  had  been  selling  goods  there 
every  night  for  a  week." 

"  Those  are  the  fellows  who  make  money,"  returned 
Andrew  Dilks.  "  Here  in  the  city  the  business  is 
done  to  death.  Give  a  man  a  good  team  of  horses 
and  a  wagon,  and  enough  money  to  stock  up,  and 
he  can  travel  from  place  to  place  and  make  a  small 
fortune." 

"  I  believe  you.     Why  don't  you  start  out  ?" 

"  I  haven't  enough  money,  that's  the  only 
reason." 

"  How  much  would  it  take  ?" 

"  The  price  of  the  turnout,  from  two  hundred 
dollars  up,  and  about  a  hundred  dollars  for  stock. 
You  know  stock  can  be  purchased  as  often  as 
desired." 

"  By  crickety  !  If  I  had  the  money  I  would  go 
in  with  you !"  cried  Matt,  caught  with  a  sudden  idea. 
"  That  sort  of  thing  would  just  suit  me." 

u  You  ?  Why  I  thought  you  were  a  city  boy,  a 
clerk " 

"  So  I  am.  But  my  Uncle  Dan  always  called  me 
a  rolling  stone,  and  that  hits  it  exactly.  I  am  tired 
of  New  York,  and  I  would  jump  at  the  first  chance 
to  get  out  of  it  and  see  some  of  the  country." 

"  Then  you  are  like  me,"  returned  Andrew  Dilks 
warmly.     He  was  quite  taken  with  Matt's  candor. 


30  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  If  I  bad  a  turnout  I  would  travel  all  over  the 
United  States,  stopping  a  week  here  and  a  week 
there.     How  old  are  you  T 

"  Sixteen." 

"  I  am  twenty-one.  Do  you  live  with  your 
parents  ?" 

"  JSTo,  I  am  alone  here.'' 

"  So  am  I.  I  used  to  live  in  Chicago  before  all 
my  folks  died.  I  like  your  appearance.  What  is 
your  name  C 

Matt  told  him,  and  also  gave  Andrew  Dilks  a 
brief  bit  of  his  history.  The  auctioneer  listened 
with  interest,  and  then  told  a  number  of  things  con- 
cerning himself.  He  had  been  with  Caleb  Gulligan 
four  years.  He  had  been  sick  several  times,  but, 
nevertheless,  had  managed  to  save  a  hundred  and 
thirty-five  dollars.*" 

"  I've  got  seventy-five  dollars  saved,  part  of 
which  I  got  from  other  brokers  than  Mr.  Fenton, 
for  running  errands,  and  so  forth,"  said  Matt. 
"  That  and  your  money  would  make  two  hundred 
and  ten  dollars.     Couldn't  we  start  out  on  that  ?" 

"  We  might,"  replied  Andrew  Dilks  reflectively. 
"  You  are  on  your  way  to  work  now,  are  you  not  \n 

"  Yes,  and  I  ought  to  be  at  the  office  this  minute  !" 
cried    Matt,    with    a  start.     "  Mr.   Fenton  will   be 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  :]\ 

tearing  mad,  I  know.     But  I  won't  care — that  is,  if 
we  come  to  a  deal." 

"Come  and  see  me  this  evening,  then.  I  am 
stopping  at  the  Columbus  Hotel,  on  the  Bowery." 

"I  know  the  place,  and  I'll  be  up  at  seven 
o'clock,11  returned  Matt ;  and  on  this  agreement  the 
two  separated. 

"  My,  but  ~t  would  like  to  become  a  traveling 
auctioneer  I11  said  the  boy  to  himself,  as  he  hurried 
dcwn  Broadway.  "  I  wish  I  had  enough  money  so 
that  we  could  go  in  as  equal  partners.  He  seems  a 
first-rate  chap  in  every  way,  and  honest,  too,  or  he 
would  not  have  gotten  into  that  row  over  the  five- 
dollar  counterfeit." 

Matt  had  lost  much  time  in  talking  to  Andrew 
Dilks,  and  now,  in  order  to  reach  Wall  street  the 
quicker,  he  hopped  upon  the  tail-end  of  a  dray  that 
was  moving  rapidly  toward  the  Battery. 

"  Beating  the  cable  cars  out  of  a  nickel  I11  he 
called  to  the  driver,  and  that  individual  smiled 
grimly,  and  said  nothing. 

Less  than  ten  minutes  later  the  boy  entered  the 
stock-broker's  main  office.  He  was  just  about  to 
pass  into  Randolph  Fen  ton's  private  apartment 
when  the  figure  of  a  man  moving  rapidly  down  the 
street   attracted    his    attention.     It    was    the    red 


32  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

mustached  man  who  bad  created  the  trouble  at  the 
auction  store. 

"  Please  give  tbese  books  to  Mr.  Fenton,  and  tell 
him  I'll  be  back  shortly, "  said  Matt  to  the  head  clerk, 
and  without  waiting  for  a  reply  he  placed  his  pack- 
age on  a  desk,  and  hurried  out  of  the  door  after  the 
man. 


THE   PURSUIT  OF  A   FAMIUAR   FACE.  Y.A. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  33 


CHAPTER    V. 


MATT   IS   DISCHARGED. 


When  Matt  Lincoln  reached  the  pavement  he 
saw  that  the  man  he  was  after  had  reached  Wall 
street  and  was  turning  down  toward  Water  street. 
The  boy  started  on  a  run  and  caught  up  to  the  indi- 
vidual just  as  he  was  about  to  descend  into  an  insur- 
ance office  which  was  located  several  steps  below 
the  level  of  the  street. 

"  Hold  on  there  !"  cried  Matt,  and  he  caught  the 
man  by  the  arm. 

"  What  is  it,  boy  ?"  demanded  the  other,  with  a 
slight  start  at  being  accosted  so  unexpectedly. 

"  I  want  to  see  you  about  that  piece  of  bric-a-brac 
you  broke  at  the  auction  store  up  on  Nausau  street." 

The  man's  face  reddened,  and  he  looked  con- 
fused. 

"I  don't — don't  know  what  you  are  talking 
about,"  he  stammered. 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  do,"  returned  Matt  coolly.  "  You 
tried  to  let  the  blame  fall  on  a  young  lady,  but  it 


34  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

won't  work.  You  must  go  back,  explain  matters, 
and  settle  up." 

"  I'll  do  nothing  of  the  kind  !"  blustered  the  red 
mustached  num.  He  had  recovered  from  his  first 
alarm.  "  I  know  nothing  of  the  affair  you  have  in 
mind.  I  have  not  been  near  an  auction  store  to-day 
— for  a  month,  in  fact." 

"  That's  a  whopper !"  exploded  Matt.  "  You 
were  in  the  place  less  than  an  hour  and  a  half 
ago !" 

u  Nonsense,  boy,  you  have  got  hold  of  the  wrong 
man.     Let  me  go." 

"  Not  much  I  won't !  You  are  the  man,  and  you 
can't  fool  me." 

"If  you  don't  let  go  I'll  call  a  policeman  just  as 
sure  as  my  name  is  Paul  Garden. " 

"  I  don't  care  what  your  name  is,  you've  got  to 
go  back  and  set  matters  straight." 

The  man  glared  at  Matt  for  a  moment.  Then, 
without  warning,  he  pushed  the  boy  backward. 
Matt  was  standing  upon  the  edge  of  the  steps 
leading  to  the  insurance  office  at  the  time,  and  he 
went  down  wTith  a  crash  into  the  wire-netting  door, 
knocking  a  large  hole  into  it. 

Before  Matt  could  recover  the  man  darted  down 
Wall  street  and  around  the  nearest  corner.  Matt 
would  have  gone  after  him,  but  the  proprietor  of 


THE  TOVSQ  AUCTIONEER,  35 

the  insurance  office  came  out,  and  demanded  to 
know  what  he  meant  by  bursting  the  wire-netting 
door  in  such  a  rude  fashion. 

"  A  man  knocked  me  down  the  steps,"  Matt 
explained.     "  I  hope  the  door  isn't  ruined." 

"  Hardly,  but  there's  a  hole  in  it." 

"The  wire  has  broken  from  under  the  molding, 
that  is  all,"  said  the  boy.  "  Let  me  see  if  I  can't 
fix  it." 

He  brought  out  his  penknife,  and  loosened  part 
of  the  molding.  Then  drawing  the  wire  back  into 
place,  he  tacked  the  molding  fast  again ;  and  the 
door  was  as  good  as  before. 

But  all  this  had  taken  time,  and  Matt  knew  it 
would  now  be  useless  to  attempt  to  follow  Paul 
Garden.  He  looked  around  the  corner,  and  seeing 
nothing  of  the  fellow,  retraced  his  steps  to  Randolph 
Ton  ton's  establishment. 

"Where  in  the  world  have  you  been  so  long?" 
demanded  Mr.  Fen  ton,  as  Matt  entered  the  private 
apartment.  "  Here  I  have  been  waiting  an  hour  for 
you  to  deliver  a  message  to  Ulmer  &  Grant.  I  hire 
you  to  be  on  hand  when  wanted,  Lincoln  ;  ngt  to 
loaf  your  time  away." 

"  I  was  not  loafing  my  time  away,  Mr.  Fenton," 
returned  Matt  calmly.  "  There  was  a  private  mat- 
ter I  had  to  attend  to,  and " 


3G  THE  TOT  NO   AUCTIONEER. 

"  You  have  no  business  to  attend  to  private  mat- 
ters during  office  hours  !"  roared  Randolph  Fenton 
wrathfully.  "  You  will  mind  my  business  and  noth- 
ing else." 

"  But  this  could  not  wait.    There  was  a  man " 

"  I  do  not  care  for  your  explanations,  }Toung  man. 
Too  much  time  has  already  been  wasted.  Take  this 
message  to  Ulmer  &  Grant's,  and  bring  a  reply  in- 
side of  ten  minutes,  or  consider  yourself  discharged." 

And  with  his  face  full  of  wrath  and  sourness, 
Randolph  Fenton  thrust  a  sealed  envelope  into 
Matt's  hand. 

An  angry  reply  arose  to  the  boy's  lips.  But  he 
checked  it,  and  without  a  word  left  the  office  and 
hurried  away  on  his  errand. 

"  I  trust  I  make  a  satisfactory  arrangement  with 
Andrew  Dilks,"  said  Matt  to  himself.  "  It  is  grow- 
ing harder  and  harder  every  day  to  get  along  with 
Mr.  Fenton.  Every  time  he  talks  he  acts  as  if  he 
wanted  to  snap  somebody's  head  off.  Poor  Miss 
Bartlett  at  her  desk  looked  half-scared  to  death/' 

Arriving  at  the  offices  of  Ulmer  &  Grant,  Mat! 
found  that  Mr.  Ulmer  had  gone  to  Boston.  Mr. 
Grant  was  busy,  but  would  give  him  an  answer  in  a 
few  minutes. 

Matt  sat  down,  wondering  what  Mr.  Fenton 
would  say  about  the  delay.     Ten,  fifteen,  twenty 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  37 

minutes  passed.  At  last  Mr.  Grant  was  at  liberty, 
but  it  was  exactly  half  an  hour  before  Matt  man- 
aged to  gain  a  reply  to  the  message  he  carried. 

When  Matt  got  back  to  Eandolph  Fenton's  office 
lie  found  the  broker  in  his  private  apartment  alone, 
and  almost  purple  with  suppressed  rage. 

"  You  think  it  smart  to  keep  me  waiting,  I  sup- 
pose?" he  sneered,  as  he  took  Mr.  Grant's  message 
and  tore  it  open. 

"  It  was  not  my  fault.  Mr.  Ulmer  is  away,  and 
Mr.  Grant  was  busy." 

"  Why  didn't  you  let  Mr.  Grant  know  I  was  in  a 
hurry  ?" 

"  The  clerk  said  he  was  not  to  be  disturbed  just 
then,  and " 


"  No  more  explanations,  Lincoln.  I  took  you 
into  this  office  more  for  the  sake  of  your  poor 
father  than  for  anything  else.  But  you  have  not 
endeavored  to  make  the  most  of  your  chances " 

"  I  have  done  my  work,  and  more,"  interrupted 
Matt  bluntly. 

"  Stop  !  don't  contradict  me,  young  man  !  You 
are  more  of  an  idler  than  aught  else.  This  noon 
you  wasted  an  hour  on  that  errand  to  Temple 
Court,  and " 

"  Mr.  Fenton,"  interrupted  a  voice  from  the  door- 
way, and  looking  up  the  stock-broker  saw  Ida 
Bartlett  standing  there. 


38  IK®  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  snapped  the  broker. 

"  If  you  please,  I  would  like  to  say  a  word 
in  Matthew's  behalf,"  went  on  the  stenographer 
timidly. 

"  It's  no  use  saying  anything,  Miss  Bartlett,"  put 
in  Matt  hastily.  "  Mr.  Fenton  won't  listen  to  any 
explanations." 

"  Yes,  but  it  was " 

"  It's  no  use,"  went  on  Matt  in  a  whisper.  "  I'm 
not  going  to  stand  it  any  longer,"  and  then  he 
added,  as  the  stock-broker's  attention  was  arrested 
by  the  reply  Mr.  Grant  had  sent.  "  I  am  ready  to 
leave  anyway,  if  he  discharges  me,  and  you  will 
only  get  into  trouble  if  you  mention  that  auction- 
store  affair." 

"  But  it  was  all  my  fault " 

"  No,  it  wasn't,  and  please  keep  quiet." 

"  But  if  yon  are  discharged,  Matt " 

"  I've  got  something  else  in  view." 

"Oh!" 

"  Well,  what  have  you  to  say,  Miss  Bartlett  V 
asked  Randolph  Fenton,  tearing  up  the  message 
and  throwing  the  pieces  into  the  waste  basket. 

"  I — I  was  going  to  say  that  I  was  partly  to  blame 
for  his  being  behind  time  this  noon.     I  was " 

"  Do  not  try  to  shield  him,  Miss  Bartlett.  I 
know  him  better  than  you  do.     He  is  a  very' lazy 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  39 

and  heedless  boy,  and  I  have  already  made  up  my 
mind  what  T  am  going  to  do  in  the  matter." 

"  And  what's  that?"  asked  Matt,  although  he  felt 
pretty  certain  of  what  was  coming. 

"  This  shall  be  your  last  day  of  service  in  these 
offices.  This  afternoon  I  will  pay  you  what  is  due 
you,  and  to-morrow  I  will  endeavor  to  get  a  boy 
who  is  willing  to  attend  to  business  and  not  fritter 
away  his  time  on  the  streets." 

"  I  have  not  frittered  away  my  time,"  replied 
Matt  warmly.  "And  I  feel  certain  you  will  not 
get  any  one  to  do  more  than  I  have  done.  You 
expect  a  boy  to  do  two  men's  work  for  a  boy's 
pay—" 

"  Stop !" 

"Not  until  I  have  finished,  sir.  I  am  perfectly 
willing  to  leave,  even  though  times  are  dull,  and 
have  been  contemplating  such  a  step  on  my  own 
account  for  some  time.  I  was  getting  tired  of  being 
a  slave." 

"  You  outrageous  imp  !  Not  another  word  from 
you.  I  will  not  have  you  in  this  place  another 
minute!  Go  to  Mr.  Gaston  and  draw  your  pay 
and  leave,  and  never  let  me  see  your  face  again !"    • 

And  white  with  passion,  Randolph  Fen  ton  sprang 
to  his  feet  and  threw  open  the  door  for  Matt  to 
pass  out. 


40  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEK    VI. 


A    BUSINESS    PARTNERSHIP. 


Mr.  Eandolph  Fenton's  voice  had  been  raised  to 
its  highest  pitch,  and  thus  the  attention  of  every 
one  in  the  offices  had  been  attracted  to  what  was 
going  on. 

Ida  Bartlett  again  came  forward  to  speak  in 
Matt's  behalf,  but  ere  she  could  say  a  word  the  boy 
put  up  his  hand  warningly,  and  turned  to  the  book- 
keeper. 

"  I  will  take  what  is  clue  me,  Mr.  Gaston,"  he 
said. 

Mr.  Gaston,  a  somewhat  elderly  man,  nodded, 
and  without  a  word,  turned  to  his  desk  and  passed 
over  to  Matt  two  new  one-dollar  bills. 

"  I'm  sorry,  my  boy,  it  isn't  more,"  he  whispered. 

"  Thank  you,"  returned  Matt.  "  Good-by,"  he 
went  on,  turning  to  the  other  office  workers.  And 
with  a  smile  and  a  bow  to  Ida  Bartlett,  he  passed 
out  of  the  place. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTION  BEE.  41 

Not  until  he  was  some  distance  away  did  he  draw 
a  deep  breath.  Somehow  he  felt  as  if  he  had  just 
emerged  from  a  prison  cell. 

"  It's  a  wonder  to  me  that  I  stood  it  so  long,"  he 
muttered  to  himself.  "  Mr.  Fenton  is  a  regular 
tyrant,  and  ought  to  move  to  Russia.  How  poor 
father  ever  came  to  invest  in  those  mining  shares 
through  him  is  a  mystery  to  me."  Matt  gave  a 
sigh,  and  for  an  instant  an  unusually  sober  look 
crossed  his  handsome  face.  "  If  only  I  could  learn 
what  became  of  poor  father — if  I  could  make  sure 
whether  he  was  alive  or  dead — I  wouldn't  care  how 
other  matters  went.  I  must  continue  my  searching 
as  soon  as  I  can  afford  to  do  so." 

Matt  boarded  with  a  private  family  on  Third 
avenue,  and  having  nothing  else  to  do,  he  walked 
slowly  to  the  place.  He  wished  he  might  meet  the 
man  with  the  red  mustache  or  Andrew  Dilks,  but 
he  saw  nothing  of  either.  When  he  arrived  at  the 
boarding-house  it  was  still  an  hour  to  supper-time. 
He  ascended  to  his  roam  and  spent  the  time  in  look- 
ing over  his  wardrobe,  for  Matt  was  handy  with  a 
needle,  and  disliked  to  have  buttons  off  or  rent 
seams  in  his  garments. 

At  length  the  bell  for  supper  rang,  and  washing 
up  and  combing  his  hair,  he  went  below.  He  ate 
his  portion  leisurely,  and  was  just  finishing  when 


-l-j  77//:  YOVNQ  AUCTIONEER* 

the  landlady  said  there  was  a  young  lady  to  see  him 
in  the  parlor. 

Matt  at  once  thought  of  Ida  Bartlett,  who  lived 
but  a  few  blocks  away,  with  her  two  sisters  and  her 
mother.  He  was  right;  it  was  the  young  lady 
stenographer. 

"I  could  not  wait,  Matt,  and  so  came  over  just  as 
soon  as  we  had  tea,"  she  explained.  "  I  want  you 
to  tell  me  what  you  are  going  to  do,  now  you  are 
out  of  Mr.  Fenton's  offices.  You  spoke  of  having 
something  else  in  view.  I  trust  it  is  something 
better." 

"  I  can't  tell  as  to  that  yet,"  returned  the  boy, 
and  then  sitting  down  beside  her  on  the  tite-d-Ute^ 
he  told  her  of  Andrew  Dilks  and  the  auctioneer's 
proposition. 

"That  sounds  as  if  it  might  be  quite  a  good 
thing,"  said  Ida  Bartlett,  when  he  had  finished. 
"  You  are  sure  this  Dilks  is  no  sharper  \  There  are 
>ts  of  sharpers  in  the  auction  business,  yon  know." 
Like  the  one  who  tried.,  to  make  you  pay?" 
laughed  Matt. 

"Exactly." 

"Well,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  thought  of  that.  But 
Dilks  doesn't  look  like  a  sharper;  quite  the  contrary. 
Of  course,  I'll  have  to  keep  my  eyes  open,  We  will 
have  a  written  agreement,  and   I  will  not  let  the 


i< 


THE  YOUNG  AVVTWNEER.  .[;) 

outfit  go  out  of  my  sight,  at  least  not  until  I  know 
him  thoroughly." 

"  In  that  case  I  think  you  will  be  safe." 

"It  is  possible  that  we  may  not  come  to  any 
agreement.  lie  has  more  money  than  I.  lie  may 
want  somebody  who  can  put  up  an  equal  amount." 

"  How  much  has  he  ?" 

"A  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars." 

"And  that  is  a  good  deal  more  than  you  have,  I 
suppose  ?" 

"I  have  saved  seventy-five  dollars,"  returned 
Matt,  and  not  without  some  pride. 

"  Is  it  possible  !  And  on  a  salary  of  four  dollars 
a  week !" 

"  Not  much  !  That  salary  only  paid  my  way.  I 
saved  the  money  out  of  extras  I  earned  from  other 
brokers — running  errands  for  them  and  doing  writ- 
ing at  home  in  the  evenings." 

"  I  see.     It  is  very  creditable  to  you." 

"  Yet  Mr.  Fenton  said  I  was  lazy,"  replied  Matt 
bitterly. 

"  Don't  you  care  what  he  said.  lie  is  a  very 
mean  man — I  am  finding  that  out  more  and  more 
every  day.  I  myself  intend  to  leave  just  as  soon  as 
I  can  find  another  place.  I  have  been  there  three 
months,  and  can  hardly  bear  it  longer." 

"The  last  stenographer  only  stayed  two  months. 


44  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

and  the  one  before  that,  a  man,  didn't  stay  the  week 
out,"  grinned  Matt.  "They  soon  find  out  what 
kind  of  a  man  he  is." 

"  I  would  leave  to-morrow,  only  I  cannot  afford 
to  be  out  of  work,  and  times  are  somewhat  dull. 
But,  about  your  proposed  venture.  You  will  need 
sixty  dollars  more  to  hold  an  equal  share  if  you  go 
in,  won't  you  ?" 

"  Yes." 

Ida  Bartlett  meditated  for  a  moment. 

"Perhaps  I  might  let  you  have  that  money,"  she 
said  slowly. 

"Why — I — I — have  you  got  it?"  stammered 
Matt. 

"  Yes ;  I  and  my  two  sisters  have  saved  quite  a 
bit  out  of  our  earnings,  you  must  know.  I'll  have 
to  ask  Kate  and  Jennie  and  mother  first.  If  they 
are  willing,  I'll  let  you  have  the  sixty  dollars,  and 
then  you  and  this  Dilfes  can  form  an  equal  partner- 
ship." 

"  You  are  very  kind,"  exclaimed  the  boy  warmly, 
for  the  offer  was  entirely  unexpected. 

"  No  more  than  I  ought  to  be,  Matt.  You  saved 
me  from  great  annoyance  this  noon,  and  I  have  not 
forgotten  the  many  favors  you  have  done  me  from 
time  to  time.  When  did  you  say  you  were  to  meet 
this  Uilks  ?" 


THE  YOUNQ  AUCTIONEER.  45 

"  This  evening.  I  ought  to  be  on  my  way  to  his 
hotel  now." 

"Then  do  not  let  me  detain  you  longer." 

"  I  guess  he'll  wait." 

"  I  will  speak  to  my  two  sisters  and  my  mother 
to-night,  and  I  will  let  you  know  to-morrow  what 
they  think  of  the  matter.  If  they  do  not  consent,  I 
can  let  you  have  twenty-five  dollars  on  my  own 
account,  anyway." 

"  Thank  you.  But,  supposing  the  venture  doesn't 
pay?     We  may  go  all  to  pieces  on  the  road." 

"  I'll  risk  that — with  you,"  smiled  Ida  Bartlett. 
"  If  you  cannot  make  it  pay  in  one  place,  I  know 
you'll  soon  find  some  other  place  where  it  will  pay. 
The  main  thing  is  to  make  sure  that  this  Andrew 
Dilks  is  honest.  I  would  not  like  to  hear  of  you 
being  swindled." 

"  ISTor  would  I  want  to  be  swindled,"  smiled  Matt. 
"  It  wouldn't  pay,  and,  besides,  I  might  find  it  a 
hard  job  to  pay  back  what  I  had  borrowed." 

"  You  may  make  a  fortune !" 

"  I  would  be  content  if  we  made  a  good  living." 

"And  you  would  be  able  to  see  a  good  part  of  the 
country." 

"  That's  the  best  part  of  it — to  me.  I  hate  to 
stay  in  one  place  all  the  while.     Besides  " — Matt 


46  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

lowered   his  voice — "  it  will   give  me   a  chance  to 
look  for  my  father,  if  he  is  still  alive." 

••  You  poor  boy,"  returned  Ida  Bartlett  sympa- 
thetically. "Always  thinking  of  him!  Well,  1 
trust,  with  all  my  heart,  that  you  may  some  day 
find  your  father,  alive  and  well." 


U1 E  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  47 


CHAPTER  ArII. 

GETTING     READY    TO     START. 

A  few  minutes  later  found  Matt  on  his  way  to 
the  Columbus  Hotel.  The  Bowery  was  crowded 
with  all  classes  of  people,  some  just  returning  from 
work,  and  others  out  sightseeing  and  buying,  but 
the  boy  had  no  difficulty  in  making  his  way  along 
at  a  rapid  gait.  In  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  he 
reached  the  hotel  and  entered  the  office.  He  was 
about  to  accost  the  clerk  at  the  desk,  when  somebody 
tapped  him  on  the  shoulder,  and  turning  he  saw 
Andrew  Dilks. 

"  I  have  been  watching  for  you,"  said  the  young 
man.  "  I  was  a  little  afraid  you  might  disappoint 
me." 

"  I  was  detained,11  said  Matt.  "  But  I  am  at  your 
service  now.     Where  shall  we  go  ?" 

"  My  room  is  rather  small  and  warm,  but  it  is 
more  private  than  the  reading-room  down  here," 
returned  Andrew  Dilks.     "  Suppose  we  go  up  there. 


48  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

You  can  sit  by  the  window  and  get  what  little 
breeze  there  is." 

They  started  for  the  stairs  (there  was  no  elevator, 
as  in  all  better-class  hotels),  and  were  soon  comfort- 
ably seated  in  Andrew  Dilks'  room,  an  apartment 
on  the  third  floor,  in  the  rear. 

"It's  not  a  very  elegant  place,"  remarked  the 
young  man  apologetically,  "  but  it's  cheap,  and  that's 
what  I  wanted.  A  fellow  can't  spend  his  money 
and  save  it,  too." 

"  You  are  right  there." 

"As  I  said  before,  old  Gulligan  only  gave  me  ten 
dollars  a  week,  and  out  of  that  I  had  to  pay  for 
many  articles  that  got  broken.  He  put  off  what  he 
could  on  me,  whether  it  was  my  fault  or  not." 

"  I  believe  you  said  you  had  a  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  dollars  ?" 

"  Yes.  It's  not  much,  but  it's  something.  I  wish 
you  had  as  much.  I've  figured  it  that  we  might 
start  with  a  single  horse  and  an  ordinary  covered 
wagon  on  two  hundred  and  seventy  dollars,  and  still 
keep  twenty  dollars  in  cash  for  emergencies." 

"  I  have  an  idea  I  can  raise  the  amount." 

"  You  can  ?     Good  enough  !" 

"  But,  first,  I  want  you  to  give  me  some  of  the 
particulars  of  your  scheme." 

"  I'll  do  that  willingly.     I  want  you  to  understand 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  49 

every  detail  before  you  invest.  Then  you  will  know 
just  what  to  expect.' ' 

Andrew  Dilks  brought  out  a  sheet  of  paper  and  a 
pencil  and  began  to  do  some  figuring. 

"We  will  put  down  our  combined  capital  at  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,"  he  said.  "  Now,  what 
can  we  get  a  good  horse  for  ?" 

"Two  hundred  dollars!1'  laughed  Matt. 

"  You  are  right,  but  we  must  get  one  cheaper." 

"  Supposing  we  look  around  for  a  bargain  at  one 
hundred  dollars,  then?" 

"  That  is  nearer  the  figure.  We  do  not  want  a 
fancy  animal  nor  a  particularly  fast  one.  A  horse 
that  can  pull  our  wagon  ten  to  twenty  miles  a  day 
once  or  twice  a  week  will  answer." 

"  Yes ;  we  can  trade  him  off  for  something  better 
later  on." 

"  Now,  I'll  put  down  a  hundred  for  the  horse. 
The  wagon  ought  not  to  cost  over  fifty  or  sixty 
dollars." 

"  Make  it  seventy-five  for  wagon  and  harness," 
said  Matt. 

"  It  will  foot  up  to  two  hundred  with  rubber 
blankets  and  extras." 

"  I  suppose  it  will.  Well,  even  that  will  leave  us 
with  fifty  dollars  for  stock." 

"Will  that  be  enough?" 


50  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"We'll  make  it  do.  If  we  run  out  lean  leave 
you  with  the  turnout,  and  come  back  to  New  York 
and  bu}^  more,  and  have  it  shipped  as  freight  to  the 
nearest  railroad  station." 

"  I  see.  I  suppose  they  do  not  do  any  trusting 
with  auctioneers  ?" 

iw  Not  with  such  traveling  auctioneers  as  we  will 
be.  I  would  rather  buy  for  cash,  anyway,  for  you 
can  buy  much  cheaper." 

"  I  suppose  you  can.  What  would  you  take  along, 
and  where  would  you  go  ?" 

"  My  idea  for  the  balance  of  this  summer  would 
be  to  strike  out  through  New  York  State  down  into 
Pennsylvania,  and  then  across  to  New  Jersey. 
Then  we  can  rent  a  store  in  some  small  town  for  the 
winter,  especially  for  the  holidays,  and  start  out 
early  in  the  spring  for  the  New  England  States." 

This  plan  met  with  Matt's  approval,  and  he  asked 
what  goods  Andrew  Dilks  thought  would  be  the 
most  profitable  to  take  along. 

"  I  have  a  list  here  in  my  pocket,"  returned  the 
young  man,  bringing  it  forth.  "  You  see,  it  includes 
fancy  articles  and  statuary,  besides  cheap  watches, 
table  cutlery,  spoons,  imitation  gold  rings,  such  mu- 
sical instruments  as  accordions,  banjos  and  violins, 
albums,  razors,  whips,  and  a  dozen  others.  That 
ought  to  meet  the  wants  in  almost  any  small  town/1 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  51 

"Can  you  play  the  musical  instruments ?"  asked 
Matt. 

"I  can  play  the  accordion — not  very  well,  but 
enough  to  show  the  instrument  off." 

"  I  can  play  the  banjo,  and  also  the  harmonica. 
You  had  better  lay  in  a  stock  of  mouth  harmonicas." 

"I  certainly  will  if  you  can  play  them.  They 
will  sell  readily  if  they  are  shown  off.  It  is  good 
you  can  play  the  banjo.  We  can  play  that  and  the 
accordion  whenever  we  want  to  open  up,  and  thus 
attract  a  crowd.  Some  use  a  bell,  but  music,  even 
when  it  is  poor,  is  better.  Sometimes  I  used  to 
sino-  a  comic  song  or  two  for  old  Gullio-an  when  we 
were  on  the  road,  but  I  didn't  much  care  to  do  it." 

ulSTo,  I  wouldn't  like  that,"  said  Matt. 

"  Gulligan  sold  lots  of  what  are  called  '  fake' 
goods,"  went  on  Andrew  Dilks.  "  But  my  inten- 
tion is  to  sell  honest  goods  and  sell  them  for  just 
what  they  are.  We  will  perhaps  not  make  as  much, 
but  people  will  be  better  pleased,  and  they  will  not 
want  to  run  us  out  of  town  if  we  ever  go  back  to 
the  same  place  again." 

"  I  am  with  you  there,"  said  Matt  heartily.  "  I 
was  afraid  you  might  want  to  palm  off  a  lot  of  trash 
for  first-class  goods  and  I  didn't  want  to  be  a  party 
to  any  such  transaction." 

They  continued  to  talk  the  subject  over  for  fully 


52  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

an  hour,  and  by  that  time  both  understood  eacl 
other  thoroughly,  and  had  decided,  if  Matt  could 
raise   the   necessary  cash,   to  go  into  the   scheme 
without  delay. 

"  You  see,  we  ought  to  do  all  the  traveling 
possible  before  cold  weather  sets  in,"  said  Andrew 
Dilks.  "  It  is  in  the  villages  where  the  most  money 
is  to  be  made,  especially  now,  when  the  farmers  are 
about  done  harvesting  and  have  some  read}7"  cash." 

"  As  I  am  out  of  work,  I  can  start  the  moment  I 
get  the  money,"  said  Matt,  "  And  even  if  I  don't 
get  that  other  money,  I  am  willing  to  put  in  every 
cent  of  what  I  have  now." 

On  the  following  morning  Matt  was  surprised  to 
receive  another  visit  from  Ida  Bartlett,  who  had 
eaten  an  unusually  early  breakfast  so  that  she  might 
come  over  before  going  to  work. 

"  I  knew  you  would  be  anxious  to  hear  from  me," 
she  said.  "  It  is  all  right.  The  others  are  willing 
to  let  you  have  the  money  for  a  year  at  the  regular 
bank  interest,  three  per  cent. 

"  Thank  you,  and  I'll  try  to  pay  it  back  before 
the  vear  is  out,"  returned  Matt,  much  relieved. 

"  And  you  have  arranged  to  go  into  the  scheme? 
It  is  all  satisfactory  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Good  !     I  wish  you  every  success." 


THE  YO  UNO  A  UGTIONEER.  53 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


AN   UNEXPECTED    SET-BACK. 


The  next  three  days  were  busy  ones  for  Matt  and 
his  newly-made  partner.  After  they  had  drawn  up 
and  signed  such  papers  as  they  deemed  proper  be- 
tween themselves,  they  set  out  to  look  for  a  horse 
and  wagon. 

Andrew  Dilks  had  cut  several  advertisements  of 
bargains  from  the  morning  papers,  and  these  they 
hunted  up  one  after  another. 

The  so-styled  bargains  proved  to  be  more  or  less 
false.  In  nearly  every  instance  they  ran  across 
some  shrewd  horse-dealer,  who,  under  pretense  of 
selling  an  outfit  for  a  widow,  or  man  who  had  left 
the  city,  tried  to  palm  off  on  them  an  animal  and 
wagon  not  worth  taking  away. 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  however,  when  they  were 
almost  ready  to  give  up  and  go  to  a  regular  dealer, 
they  ran  across  a  German  baker  who  was  selling 
out  at  a  private  sale. 

"  I  vos  go  to  Chermany  next  veek,"  he  explained 


54  THE   YOUNQ  A  CCTIOXEFAI 

to  the  two.  "  Mine  old  fadder  vos  dead,  and  he  vos 
Left  me  all  his  land  and  houses  in  Bremen.  Sue,  I 
vos  shown  you  der  letter  from  der  lawyers  vot  have 
his  vill  got." 

And  he  produced  a  large  letter-head,  upon  which 
was  written  a  dozen  lines  in  German,  which  neither 
could  read. 

"  Never  mind  that,"  said  Andrew.  "  Show  us 
your  horse  and  wagon,  and  set  a  bottom  cash  price 
on  them.'' 

w-  Come  dis  vay." 

The  baker  led  the  way  around  the  corner  to  a 
boarding-stable,  and  brought  forth  a  good,  chunky 
brown-and-white  horse,  that  did  not  look  to  be  over 
six  years  old. 

"  Stand  around,  Billy  I11  he  cried.  "  Dere  he  vos, 
chentlemen,  and  chust  so  goot  a  horse  as  der  vos  in 
New  York."' 

"  Anything  the  matter  with  him  V  asked  Matt, 
as  lie  began  an  examination  of  the  animal. 

"  Xot  a  ding,  sir.  He  vos  sound  as  a  tollar,  and 
chentle  as  a  lamb.  I  vos  use  him  on  der  bread 
route  for  a  year  and  more." 

"  And  where  is  the  wagon  ?"  questioned  Andrew 
Diiks. 

"  Here  vos  der  wagon,11  said  the  baker,  as  he  ran 
the  vehicle  out  so  that  they  might  look  it  over. 


777 A'  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  55 

It  was  a  four-wheeled  affair,  quite  large  and 
heavy.  There  was  one  seat  in  the  center,  and  bo- 
fore  and  behind  this  were  two  big  boxes,  each  with 
a  hinged  lid.  In  the  rear  was  a  rack  for  pies  and 
calves.  There  was  also  a  box  under  the  seat,  and  a 
money  drawer  which  opened  with  a  concealed  push 
button. 

"  This  is  just  the  thing  for  us,"  whispered  Andrew 
to  Matt.  "  For  a  one-horse  wagon,  it  could  not  be 
better  arranged.  The  running  gear  seems  to  be  in 
good  condition,  too." 

"  Yell,  vot  you  dinks  of  them  ?"  asked  the«baker, 
after  they  had  finished  their  survey. 

"  Where  is  the  harness  ?"  asked  Matt. 

"  Here  she  vos,  new  two  veeks  ago,  and  here  vos 
der  vip,  too.'1 

"  And  what  is  the  lowest  you  can  take  for  the 
rig  ?"  asked  Andrew.  "  We  are  willing  to  pay  spot 
cash,  but  cannot  afford  a  fancy  figure." 

"I  vos  sold  der  whole  dings  for  dree  hundred 
dollar." 

At  this  announcement  Matt's  face  fell.  Three 
hundred  dollars !  It  was  more  than  they  had  to 
spend  for  both  turnout  and  stock. 

"  Three  hundred  dollars,"  repeated  Andrew 
Dilks.  "  If  that's  the  case,  we  can't  do  business 
with  you." 


56  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Dot's  too  pad.     How  much  you  gif,  hey  ?" 

"  "We  will  give  you  a  hundred  and  seventy- 
five." 

At  this  announcement  the  German  baker  held  up 
his  hands  in  horror,  and  muttered  a  number  of 
ejaculations  in  his  native  tongue. 

"  Make  it  two  hundred  and  seventy -five,"  he 
said. 

"  We  can't  do  it." 

"Den  take  der  turnout  for  two  hundred  and 
fifty." 

"  No,  we  can't  do  it,"  said  Matt,  and  with  a  wink 
to  Andrew  Dilks,  he  pulled  his  companion  toward 
the  stable  doors. 

"  Hold  up !"  shouted  the  baker,  in  alarm.  "  Don't 
go  yet,  chentlemen.  Make  dot  figure  two  hundred 
and  twenty-five,  and  it  vos  more  as  tog  cheap  at 
dot." 

"  Perhaps  it  is,  but  we  can't  afford  to  pay  it." 

"  If  I  could  haf  der  dime  to  sell,  I  vos  got  more 
as  dot,  chentlemen." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  returned  Matt.  "  But  you  haven't 
got  to  accept  our  offer,  you  know.  We'll  look 
around  for  something  cheaper." 

"  You  vill  bay  cash  on  der  spot  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  but  you  must  give  us  a  free  and  clear  bill 
of  sale." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  57 

"  I  vos  do  dot.  Make  it  chust  two  hundred 
dollar." 

But  Andrew  Dilks  had  set  his  mind  on  getting  a 
further  reduction,  and  at  last  the  bargain  was 
settled,  and  they  paid  over  a  hundred  and  ninety 
dollars  for  the  turnout,  leaving  them  still  ten 
dollars  to  expend  upon  rubber  blankets  and  other 
necessary  articles. 

The  purchase  completed,  they  made  arrangements 
with  the  boarding-stable  keeper  to  keep  the  horse 
and  wagon  for  them  until  the  following  Monday 
morning.  In  the  meantime  they  procured  some 
paint,  and  painted  over  the  baker's  signs  on  the 
wagon,  and  then  Andrew,  who  was  a  fair  letterer, 
painted  on  each  side  of  the  wagon-cover  the  follow- 
ing : 

THE  EUREKA  AUCTION  COMPANY. 

Best  and  Cheapest  Goods  on  Earth. 

"  There,  that  ought  to  attract  attention  wher- 
ever we  go,"  said  Andrew  when  the  job  ivas  fin- 
ished. "  The  word  company  makes  it  sound  big, 
and  we  can  call  ourselves  a  company  as  well  as 
not." 

On  Friday  and  Saturday  the  two  made  a  tour  of 
the  wholesale  houses  in  New  York,  and  Andrew 
expended  the  fifty  dollars  as  judiciously  as  possible 


;,S  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

in  the  purchase  of  goods.  As  business  was  rather 
slow,  and  ready  money  scarce,  he  struck  several 
decided  bargains,  especially  in  cutlery  and  musical 
instruments.  He  had  all  of  the  goods  sent  up  to  the 
stable,  and  the  two  worked  until  ten  o'clock  Satur- 
day night  stowing  away  all  of  the  stock  in  their 
wagon. 

"  Xow,  we  are  all  ready  for  the  start  on  Monday 
morning,"  said  Andrew  as  the  two  walked  away 
from  the  stable. 

"  Yes,  but  we  haven't  decided  where  we  shall  go 
first  yet,"  returned  Matt. 

"  Let  us  leave  that  until  the  last  minute.  We 
know  about  where  we  are  going,  and  it  doesn't 
make  much  difference  what  villages  we  strike  so 
long  as  we  do  the  business.1' 

Sunday  passed  quickly  enough  for  Matt.  He  at- 
tended church  and  the  Sunday-school  into  which  Ida 
Bartlett  had  introduced  him,  and  in  the  evening  he 
packed  his  valise  with  all  of  his  worldly  possessions. 
Ida  Bartlett  also  came  over  to  bid  him  good-bv,  and 
remained  to  give  him  such  advice  as  he  might  have 
received  from  an  elder  sister. 

Matt  had  arranged  to  meet  Andrew  at  the  stable 
at  six  o'clock  sharp,  and  quarter  of  an  hour  before 
the  appointed  time  found  him  on  his  way  to  the 
place,  valise  in  hand. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  50 

"  I'll  show  Andrew  that  I  mean  to  be  on  time,'1 
he  thought  to  himself,  as  he  turned  into  the  street 
upon  which  the  stable  was  situated. 

Suddenly  he  saw  a  crowd  running  up  from  the 
block  below.  There  were  at  least  a  dozen  men  and 
boys,  some  of  whom  were  shouting  at  the  top  of 
their  lungs  : 

"Fire!  fire!" 

"Fire!"  repeated  Matt  quickly.  "I  wonder 
where  it  can  be  V 

But  hardly  had  he  uttered  the  words  than,  hap- 
pening to  glance  toward  the  stable  in  which'  their 
turnout  was  located,  he  saw  a  thick  volume  of 
smoke  come  pouring  out  of  several  of  the  upper 
windows. 

"  My  gracious !"  he  gasped,  his  face  blanching. 
"  It's  that  stable,  and  our  horse  and  wagon  with  the 
stock  still  inside !" 

"  That  place  is  doomed  !"  said  a  man  beside  Matt. 
"  See  how  the  fire  is  gaining  headway !  They 
won't  be  able  to  save  a  single  horse  or  anything 
else  !" 


60  THE  TO  UNQ  A  UCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 


THE    RESULT    OF    A    FIRE. 


It  was  no  wonder  that  Matt's  heart  was  filled 
with  dismay  when  he  saw  the  stable  which  con- 
tained the  auction  outfit  being  thus  rapidly  devoured 
by  the  flames.  Almost  every  cent  he  possessed  was 
invested  in  the  horse,  wagon  and  stock,  and  if  they 
were  consumed  he  would  be  left  in  ]S"ew  York  City 
next  to  penniless. 

Close  to  where  he  was  standing  was  a  grocery 
store,  and  rushing  into  this  he  threw  his  valise  on 
the  counter. 

"  Keep  this  for  me,  please  !"  he  cried  to  the  pro- 
prietor. "  I  want  to  try  to  save  my  horse  and 
wagon !" 

And  before  the  grocer  could  reply  he  was  out  of 
the  store  again,  and  running  toward  the  burning 
stable  as  fast  as  his  feet  could  carry  him. 

When  he  reached  the  front  of  the  building,  which 
was  three  stories  high,  and  quite  broad  and  deep, 
he  found  an  excited  mob  of  stable-hands,  cab-drivers 


SAVING  THE  WAGON 


Y.A 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTION  Em.  61 

and  tradespeople  assembled,  each  trying  to  get  inside 
to  save  his  belongings. 

The  owner  of  the  stable  was  also  present,  having 
just  arrived,  and  was  directing,  or  trying  to  direct, 
the  movements  of  the  highly  excited  ones. 

"  Go  into  the  alley  on  the  left !"  he  shouted. 
"  You  can  get  more  out  of  the  side  doors.  The 
smoke  is  blowing  too  thickly  out  here  I" 

A  rush  was  made  for  the  alley,  and  Matt  got 
into  the  midst  of  the  crowd.  The  side  doors,  to 
which  the  owner  of  the  stable  had  referred,  were 
found  to  be  securely  bolted  from  the  inside. 

"  Get  some  axes  !" 

"  Get  a  log  and  smash  in  the  doors !" 

"  Never  mind  that !"  yelled  Matt.  "  111  climb 
through  one  of  the  windows  and  open  the  door !" 

"Good  for  the  boy!" 

"  Give  me  a  boost  up,  somebody  !" 

Half  a  dozen  willing  hands  raised  Matt's  form  to 
one  of  the  small  side  windows,  and  an  instant  later 
the  boy's  form  disappeared  within  the  smoke-laden 
building. 

"  He  can't  stand  it  in  there !" 

"  He'll  be  smothered  to  death  !" 

Once  inside,  Matt  found  it  advisable  to  crouch 
low  down  to  the  floor,  for  the  smoke  did,  indeed, 
almost  smother  him.     He  could  see  but  little,  and 


62  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

had  to  feel  his  way  out  of  a  stall,  and  across  the 
floor  to  where  the  doors  he  wished  to  open  were 
located. 

"I'm  afraid  our  nag  will  be  a  goner !"  he 
thought  dismally.  "  A  horse  never  can  stand  any 
thing  in  the  shape  of  a  fire.11 

At  last  the  doors  were  reached.  Fortunately,  he 
found  the  bolts  at  once,  and  lost  not  a  second  in 
drawing  them  from  their  sockets.  Then  he  gave 
the  doors  a  kick  outward,  and  willing  hands  flung 
them  far  back  against  the  side  of  the  building. 
Then  came  a  rush  of  men  and  boys,  all  eager  to 
save  something.  For  the  moment  it  looked  as  if 
Matt  would  be  carried  from  his  feet. 

"  Here,  don't  knock  me  down  !"  he  cried.  "Re- 
member, I  opened  the  doors  for  yon." 

"  So  he  did  :"  returned  a  burly  cab  driver.  "  Give 
the  lad  a  show  !" 

And  then  Matt  was  given  room.  He  quickly 
found  his  way  through  the  smoke  and  heat  to 
where  the  wagon  stood,  ready  for  the  start  on  tin1 
road.  The  horse  was  but  a  few  feet  away  snorting 
in  alarm. 

Matt  had  handled  horses  before,  and  he  now  knew 
just  the  best  possible  thing  to  do.  Taking  off  his 
coat,  he  flung  it  over  Billy's  head,  thus  completely 
blindfolding   him.     Then    he   led   the    animal  out 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER,  i;:; 

of    the   stall,   and    started    him    toward    the   open 

doors. 

Hi,  Matt,  is  that  you?"  veiled  a  voice  close  at 
hand. 

kk  Ves,  Andy,  and  I'm  glad  you  have  come.  See 
ii  you  can  pull  the  wagon  out." 

'*  Can  you  manage  Billy  alone  V 

>k  I  think  I  can." 

But  Matt  had  his  hands  full,  as  he  soon  learned. 
Billy  was  not  in  the  humor  to  listen  and  walk  the 
way  he  desired.  He  pranced  about  wildly,  and  the 
boy  had  all  he  could  do  to  keep  from  having  his 
feet  stepped  upon. 

But  at  last  Matt  managed  to  reach  the  open 
doors,  and  then  he  gave  the  horse  a  sharp  cut  on 
the  flank,  which  sent  him  up  the  alley  on  a  canter. 
The  boy  did  not  wait  to  ascertain  how  far  Billy 
might  continue  on  his  way,  but  turned  swiftly  to 
help  his  partner,  who  was  straining  every  nerve  to 
budge  the  wagon  from  its  resting-place. 

"  The  iloor  is  up-hill  to  the  side  doors !"  gasped 
Andrew  Dilks.     "  We  can't  get  it  out,  I'm  afraid  !" 

"  We  must  get  it  out !"  returned  Matt  desper- 
ately. "  Let  me  get  hold  of  the  shafts  and  you 
push.  And  be  quick,  for  the  floor  overhead  looks 
as  if  it  was  going  to  give  away  at  any  minute!" 

Andy   did   as  Matt  directed,  and  together  they 


64  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

strained  to  their  utmost.  At  first  the  wagon, 
heavily  loaded,  refused  to  budge,  but  then  it  moved 
slowly  from  its  place  against  the  wall. 

"  Hurrah  !  we  are  getting  it !"  cried  Andrew 
Dilks.  "  Be  sure  and  guide  it  right,  Matt.  Can 
you  see,  or  is  the  smoke  too  thick  for  }Tou  ?" 

"I  can  see;  but — hold  on,  or  we'll  smash  into 
that  other  wagon." 

Matt  held  back,  and  allowed  another  wagon  to 
pass  out  first.  In  the  meantime,  the  burning  brands 
from  overhead  were  coming  down  livelier  than  ever. 
One  caught  Matt  on  the  left  arm,  burning  the  flesh 
slightly,  and  another  landed  on  Andrew  Dilks'  neck, 
causing  the  auctioneer  to  howl  with  sudden  pain. 

Outside  could  be  heard  the  whistle  of  fire-engines 
and  the  clanging  of  hook-and-ladder  truck  bells. 
Then  came  a  heavy  stream  of  water  from  somewhere 
behind  them,  nearly  lifting  Andy  from  his  feet. 

But  the  way  was  now  once  more  clear,  and  Matt 
yelled  to  his  partner  to  push.  Both  exerted  every 
nerve,  and  ten  seconds  later  the  wagon  rolled  out  of 
the  open  doors,  and  was  guided  by  Matt  up  the 
alley. 

"  Thank  goodness  we  are  out !"  panted  the  boy, 
as  they  brought  the  wagon  to  a  standstill  in  the 
midst  of  half  a  dozen  carriages.  "Another  minute 
in  there  would  just  about  have  settled  me." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  65 

"  Yes,  it  was  getting  dangerous,"  returned  Andy, 
with  a  serious  shake  of  his  head,  as  he  tied  his  hand- 
kerchief over  his  burned  neck.  "  Hark  !  what  is 
that?" 

His  words  were  called  forth  by  a  dull  boom, 
which  made  the  soft  dirt  in  the  alley  quake. 

"The  upper  flooring  has  come  down!"  shouted 
several  in  the  crowd. 

"  They  won't  be  able  to  get  any  more  stuff  out 
now !" 

"  We  were  just  in  time,"  remarked  Matt,  with  a 
shiver.  "  Supposing  we  had  been  in  there  when 
that  flooring,  with  all  the  burning  hay  and  those 
sleighs  that  were  stored  there,  came  down !" 

"  We  ought  to  be  very  thankful,  not  only  for  that, 
but  for  being  able  to  save  our  wagon  and  our  horse. 
If  they  had  been  burned  up  we  would  have  been 
next  door  to  beggars !" 

"  By  the  way,  where  is  Billy  ?"  cried  Matt.  "  I 
don't  see  him  anywhere  around." 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know." 

"  Stay  here  with  the  wagon  and  I'll  hunt  him  up," 
replied  Matt;  and  he  started  off  without  further 
delay. 

The  alleyway  had  now  become  so  choked  up  with 
vehicles,  horses,  and  people  that  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  that  ho  fought  his  way  through  the  dense 


66  THE  YOUNG  A  rrrio \ KKR. 

mass  out  to  the  next  street.  Once  here,  he  looked 
up  and  down  for  the  horse,  but  could  see  nothing  of 
him. 

"  Did  you  see  anything  of  a  brown  and  white 
horse  around  here?"  he  asked  of  a  stable-hand 
standing  near. 

"Yes;  just  saw  him  gallop  up  the  street,"  was 
the  reply.  "  You  had  better  jump  on  a  horse-car  if 
you  want  to  catch  him." 

"  You  saw  him  run  clean  out  of  sight,  then  ?" 

"  Yes;  he  must  be  halfway  up  to  Harlem  by  this 
time." 

Matt  waited  to  hear  no  more,  but  boarded  the 
first  horse-car  which  came  along  bound  north.  He 
took  a  position  on  the  front  platform,  and  as  they 
moved  along  kept  his  eyes  open  for  a  sight  of  the 
animal  in  which  he  owned  a  half-interest. 

Ten  blocks  had  been  passed,  and  the  boy  was 
beginning;  to  grow  anxious,  when,  chancing  to  look 
over  the  fence  of  a  small  yard  adjoining  a  black- 
smith shop,  he  saw  a  horse  standing  tied  to  a  post. 
A  second  look  convinced  him  that  it  was  Billy,  and 
he  at  once  leaped  from  the  moving  car  and  hurried 
toward  the  place. 

"  Well,  sir,  what  can  I  do  for  you?"  asked  the 
blacksmith,  a  tall,  heavy-set  fellow,  as  he  left  his 
bellows,  where  he  had  been  blowing  up  the  fire. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  <;7 

"  I'll  take  my  horse,  please,"  returned  Matt. 

"  Your  horse?     Which  horse  is  that  ?" 

u  The  runaway  you  just  caught." 

"  I  haven't  any  runaway,"  returned  the  black- 
smith boldly. 

"  What  ?"  cried  the  boy  in  amazement.  "  Why,  of 
course  you  have.  lie  is  tied  to  the  post  in  the 
yard;1 

"  No  runaway  here." 

"  I  mean  the  brown  and  white  horse." 

"  That  horse  was  just  left  here  to  be  shod." 

For  the  moment  Matt  was  too  dam  founded  to 
speak. 

"  To  be  shod  ?"  lie  said  at  last.  "  Who  left  him 
here  ?" 

"A  colored  man.     I  don't  know  his  name." 

u  But  he  is  my  horse,  and  he  doesn't  need 
shoeing." 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  that,"  returned 
the  blacksmith  darkly.  "  He  was  left  here  and 
that's  all  I  know  about  it.  You'll  have  to  hunt  up 
the  colored  man,  and  fix  it  up  with  him  if  you  want 
the  horse." 


68  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTER    X. 


ON    THE    ROAD    AT    LAST. 


Had  the  blacksmith  spoken  with  more  real  con- 
cern, Matt  would  have  believed  what  he  said,  but 
there  was  that  in  the  fellow's  manner  which  tended 
to  make  the  boy  suspicious. 

"  How  long  ago  was  it  that  the  colored  man  left 
the  horse  ?"  he  asked,  after  a  pause. 

"  Not  more  than  an  hour  ago." 

"  An  hour  ?" 

"  About  that,  as  near  as  I  can  remember.  I've 
been  rather  busy  this  morning." 

"  That  horse  did  not  get  away  until  about  fifteen 
minutes  ago,"  returned  Matt  coldly. 

"  Oh,  you  must  be  mistaken,"  returned  the  black- 
smith smoothly. 

"  No,  I  am  not  mistaken,"  replied  Matt,  and  his 
tones  began  to  grow  sharper.  "  He  just  got  away 
from  me,  after  I  rescued  him  from  a  burning 
stable.  He  is  my  horse,  and  I  intend  to  take  him 
away." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  69 

As  Matt  spoke  he  crossed  the  blacksmith  shop  to 
where  a  doorway  led  to  the  little  yard  beyond. 

"  Hold  up  there !"  cried  the  blacksmith  roughly. 
"  You  are  not  going  out  there  !" 

"  Yes,  I  am,  and  you  can't  stop  me,"  returned 
Matt  spiritedly.  "  I  own  that  horse,  or  at  least  I 
own  a  half-interest  in  him,  and  if  you  dare  to  molest 
me  you'll  get  into  trouble." 

"  Will  I  ?"  sneered  the  blacksmith. 

"  Yes,  you  will.  If  you  stop  me,  I'll  call  in  the 
police." 

At  these  words  the  blacksmith's  face  fell.  Evi- 
dently he  had  not  anticipated  that  a  mere  boy  would 
take  such  a  decided  stand. 

"  Yes,  but  that  colored  man — "  he  began,  more 
mildly. 

"  If  there  was  a  colored  man  in  the  case,  you  can 
explain  matters  to  suit  yourself.  As  for  me,  I 
believe  you  caught  the  horse  yourself  and  wanted 
to  do  what  you  could  to  keep  him." 

"  How  dare  you  !"  cried  the  blacksmith,  with  a 
threatening  gesture.  "  Do  you  take  me  for  a 
thief  ?" 

"  Never  mind  what  I  take  you  for.  That  is  my 
horse,  and  I  am  going  to  take  him  away." 

And  undaunted  by  the  blacksmith's  manner, 
Matt  marched  out  into  the  yard,  and  untied  Billy, 


70  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

who  was  covered  with  sweat,  and  still  trembling 
from  fright. 

"  It's  playing  a  bold  game  you  are,"  grumbled 
the  man  of  the  anvil,  as  the  boy  led  the  horse 
through  the  blacksmith-shop  toward  the  front  door. 
"  I  reckon  you  think  you  are  mighty  smart." 

"  One  has  to  be  smart  to  deal  with  such  a  man  as 
you !"  retorted  Matt.  "  Had  you  clone  the  fair 
thing  at  the  start,  I  might  have  rewarded  you 
for  stopping  the  horse,  but  as  it  is,  I  don't  believe 
you  deserve  a  cent." 

And  with  this  parting  shot,  which,  by  the  way 
was  fully  deserved  by  the  dishonest  blacksmith, 
Matt  sprang  upon  Billy's  back  and  rode  off. 

When  the  boy  reached  the  alleyway  again  he 
found  that  the  fire  department  had  gotten  the  lire 
under  control,  and  that  much  of  the  crowd  of  peo- 
ple had  gone  on  about  their  business.  In  the  space 
around  the  wagon  several  cabman  were  busy  get- 
ting out  their  horses  and  cabs,  all  thankful  that 
their  turnouts  and  animals  had  not  been  consumed 
by  the  conflagration,  which  nad  ail  but  leveled  the 
great  stable  to  the  ground. 

Andy  was  seated  on  the  wagon,  anxiously  await- 
ing his  return.  While  the  two  harnessed  Billy  into 
place,  Matt  told  his  partner  of  the  trouble  he  had 
experienced. 


TffE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  71 

"That  blacksmith  meant  to  bluff  you  off  and 
keep  the  horse,1*  said  the  auctioneer,  "If  you 
hadn't  come  back  soon  I  would  have  gone  off  after 
you." 

"Is  the  wagon  damaged?"  questioned  Matt 
anxiously. 

"Not  in  the  slightest.  I  have  examined  every- 
thing carefully.  And  the  stock  is  O.  K.  too.  We 
can  start  off  just  as  if  nothing  had  happened." 

"  But  we  haven't  decided  yet  as  to  just  where  we 
are  to  go,"  returned  the  boy. 

"  Oh,  that  reminds  me  !"  cried  Andy.  "  I  meant 
to  tell  you  before,  but  the  fire  drove  it  clean  out  of 
my  head.  I  saw  a  fellow  yesterday  who  is  going 
to  strike  out  up  through  Harlem  to  morrow.  He 
was  going  to  take  the  very  route  I  had  thought 
out.  So  I  was  going  to  propose  that  we  take  the 
ferry  over  to  Jersey  City,  and  strike  out  through 
New  Jersey  first." 

"Well,  one  way  will  suit  me  just  as  well  as  an- 
other," returned  Matt.     "  So  New  Jersey  it  is." 

In  less  than  five  minutes  later  they  were  ready 
to  start.  The  owner  of  the  stable,  nearly  distracted 
over  his  loss,  was  around,  and  into  his  hand  they 
thrust  the  money  they  owed  him.  Then  Matt  pro- 
cured his  valise,  and  without  waiting  to  be  ques- 


72  THE  TO  TTNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

tionecl  by  the  police  and  the  firemen  any  more  than 
was  necessary,  they  drove  off. 

"  Not  a  very  favorable  start,"  was  Andy's  com- 
ment, as  the  scene  of  the  conflagration  was  left 
behind.  "  But  they  say  '  a  bad  beginning  makes  a 
good  ending,'  so  we  ought  not  to  lose  heart." 

"  Lose  heart !"  cried  Matt  lightly.  "  No,  indeed  ! 
I  am  thankful  we  are  able  to  start,  even  though  we 
do  look  like  a  couple  of  tramps,"  he  added  with  a 
grin. 

"  We'll  take  a  wash-up  when  we  are  across  the 
ferry.  We'll  have  lots  of  time,  for  we  won't  be 
able  to  do  any  business  to-day.  We  must  get  at 
least  twenty  or  thirty  miles  from  New  York  before 
we  attempt  to  open  up." 

The  drive  down  to  Cortlandt  street  ferry  was  an 
uneventful  one  through  the  crowded  streets.  A 
boat  had  just  come  in  when  they  reached  the  ferry- 
house,  and  after  paying  the  fare,  they  drove  upon 
this,  and  were  soon  on  their  way  to  the  New  Jersey 
-more. 

"  Do  you  know  the  road  ?"  asked  Matt,  as  they 
tied  up  upon  an  open  street  on  the  other  side,  and 
went  into  the  great  ferry-house  to  wash  and  brush 
up. 

"  I  know  the  roads  through  Newark  and  Eliza- 
beth," returned  Andrew  Dilks.     "  I  think  we  had 


THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER.  73 

better  strike  along  the  New  Jersey  Central  Kail- 
road  as  far  as  Bound  Brook  or  Somerville,  and  then 
strike  through  Flemington,  and  across  to  the  Dela- 
ware Kiver,  and  so  on  into  Pennsylvania." 

"  That  suits  me,"  returned  Matt. 

It  was  exactly  half-past  ten  o'clock  when  they 
left  the  vicinity  of  the  ferry  in  Jersey  City,  and 
moved  off  toward  the  old  plank  road,  so  called, 
which  leads  to  Newark,  five  miles  distant.  Both 
were  in  excellent  spirits,  despite  the  thrilling  ex- 
perience through  which  they  had  passed. 

"  I  have  here  a  list  of  all  the  articles  we  have  in 
stock,"  said  Andy,  as  he  set  Billy  on  a  brisk  trot. 
"  You  had  better  study  it.  The  prices  are  also  pat 
down,  and  of  course,  we  never  will  auction  a  thing 
off  for  less,  unless  it  is  unsalable  otherwise  and  we 
wish  to  dispose  of  it." 

"  But  supposing  a  thing  is  put  up  and  people 
won't  bid  above  a  certain  figure?" 

"  We  will  buy  it  in  ourselves,  or  get  some  one  to 
bid  for  us,  or  else  refuse  to  take  a  bid  under  a  certain 
sum." 

Matt  took  the  sheet  of  paper,  and  resting  on  the 
box  in  the  back  of  the  wagon,  began  to  study  it 
carefully,  and  so  absorbed  did  he  become  that  he 
did  not  notice  when  Newark  was  reached,  and  was 


;  |  THE  }  r0  UNO  A  U<  7  W  NEEB. 

only  .aroused  when  Andy  drew  up  in  front  of  a 
restaurant  and  asked  him  if  lie  did  not  feel  like 
having  some  dinner. 

"You  can  just  bet  I  do  !"  exclaimed  Matt.  "The 
fire  and  the  drive  have  made  me  as  hungry  as  a 
bear," 

The  restaurant  was  not  a  very  large  place,  and 
but  few  customers  were  present.  They  ordered 
what  they  wished,  and  it  was  soon  brought  to  them. 

"I  didn't  want  to  go  to  one  of  those  high-toned 
places  where  they  charge  big  prices,"  observed 
Andy,  as  he  began  to  fall  to.  "  We  can't  afford  to 
cut  a  spread  until  we  see  how  our  venture  is  going 
to  pan  out." 

'■Von  are  right  there,"  returned  Matt.  "As  it 
is,  I  think  our  supply  of  cash  is  getting  mighty  low.11 

"  I  notice  the  knives  and  forks  are  rather  rusty 
here,"  went  on  Andy.  "  I  wonder  if  I  can't  sell  the 
proprietor  some  table  cutlery  {  We  have  some  on 
board  that  is  both  cheap  and  good.'11 

"  I'd  try  it  by  all  means,"  cried  Matt  heartily. 

So  when  the  meal  was  concluded  Andrew  Dilks 
walked  up  to  the  proprietor,  who  was  also  cashier, 
and  paid  their  bill.  Then  he  asked  the  man  if  he 
did  not  think  some  new  knives  and  forks  would  be 
appreciated  by  his  customers. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  ;;> 

"  I  have  do  doubt  but  what  they  would  be,"  re- 
turned the  restaurant  keeper.  "But  they  cost  too 
much  money,  and  times  are  rather  hard.11 

UI  can  sell  you  some  cheap,"  returned  Andy,  and 
he  mentioned  his  price. 

The  restaurant  man  smiled. 

"Too  cheap  to  be  good,"  he  said.  "I  must  have 
some  that  will  stand  the  wear." 

"Let  me  show  you  them.  Matt,  go  out  and 
bring  in  a  few  dozen  of  the  No.  23  knives  and  forks, 
and  also  some  of  the  X23  spoons,"  went  on  Andy 
briskly. 

Matt  at  once  complied,  and  his  partner  continued 
to  talk  to  the  restaurant  keeper,  thus  keeping'  his 
attention.  When  the  articles  were  brought  Andy 
invited  the  prospective  purchaser  to  make  a  thorough 
examination  of  them. 

"  Send  a  couple  down  to  the  kitchen  and  have 
them  scoured.  They  are  triple-plated,  and  will 
stand  it,"  he  added. 

Andy's  business-like  way  pleased  the  restaurant 
keeper,  and  after  a  little  more  talk  he  purchased 
three  dozen  each  of  knives  and  forks  and  two  dozen 
spoons. 

The  price  was  paid  over,  and  both  Andy  and  Matt 
were  congratulating  themselves  on  their  good  luck, 


76  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

when  a  man  who  had  been  standing  near  the  win- 
dow of  the  restaurant  peering  in  stepped  inside  and 
tapped  both  on  the  shoulder. 

"  I  would  like  to  see  your  license  for  selling,"  he 
said  sternly. 


THE  TOUN&  AUCTIONEER.  77 


CHAPTER  XI. 

HARSH   TREATMENT. 

Both  Matt  and  Andy  were  considerably  taken 
aback  by  the  unexpected  demand  of  the  stranger. 
When  they  had  come  to  Newark  they  had  not  ex- 
pected to  sell  anything,  and  therefore  had  not  given 
the  question  of  a  license  a  single  thought. 

"  Excuse  me,  but  I  am  sorry  to  state  we  have  no 
license,"  returned  Andy  frankly.  "  We  did  not  ex- 
pect to  make  any  sales  here,  but  were  going  straight 
through  to  Elizabeth." 

"  Very  likely,"  sneered  the  man,  who  was  a  special 
officer  attached  to  the  police  department.  "  But  I 
saw  you  make  the  sale,  and  you  must  come  with 
me." 

"  Oh,  Andy,  let  us  pay  the  license,"  exclaimed 
Matt,  in  a  low  voice,  as  visions  of  a  week  or  a  month 
in  jail  floated  before  his  mind.  It  would  be  simply 
terrible  to  be  locked  up. 

"  That's  what  we  will  have  to  do,"  returned  Andy, 


78  THE  VOUNO  AUCTIONEER. 

who  had  boon  through  such  a  predicament  before. 
and  was  not,  therefore,  greatly  alarmed.  "Don't 
be  afraid ;  we  will  come  out  all  right.  Only  it  will 
cost  us  two  or  three  dollars/' 

"  I  don't  care  if  it  costs  fifty — I  don't  want  to  run 
afoul  of  the  law,"  returned  Matt  bluntly. 

"  Nor  do  I,"  returned  his  partner. 

"Well,  what  do  you  say?"  demanded  the  officer 
sharply. 

"  We  will  go  with  you  and  pay  the  license," 
replied  Andy. 

"All  right/' 

k'  Will  you  ride  with  us  ?" 

"  Don't  care  if  1  do,'1  said  the  officer,  and  all  three 
hopped  on  the  wagon  seat,  anil  Matt  drove  off. 

The  office  where  licenses  could  be  procured  was 
at  the  City  Hall,  on  Broad  Street.  When  they  turned 
into  that  thoroughfare  Matt  uttered  a  cry  of  sur- 
prise. 

"  What  a  broad  street !"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  sur- 
veyed it. 

"It  is  one  of  the  broadest  in  any  eastern  city," 
returned  the  officer,  who  seemed  inclined  to  be  more 
friendly  now  that  they  had  shown  a  disposition  to 
do  the  right  thing. 

Inside  of  the  City  Hall  they  were  compelled  to 
wait  near  half  an  hour  before   they  could  procure 


THE  70  I rNG  A  f  '<  <TION WER.  7<  i 

their  license.  Thou  they  were  asked  for  how  Long 
a  term  they  desired  it. 

"  For  today  only,"  returned  Andy,  and  so  it  was 
made  out  and  as  quickly  paid  for. 

"  Oh,  but  I'm  glad  we  are  out  of  that  scrape  so 
easily  !"  murmured  Matt,  as  the  two  walked  back 
to  their  wagon.  "  I  was  afraid  they  would  lock  us 
up  for  ten  days  or  a  month." 

"  They  would  have  their  hands  full  locking  up 
all  the  peddlers  who  try  to  sell  goods  without  a 
license,"  laughed  Andy.  "  All  they  care  for  is  the 
money." 

"  We  will  have  to  pay  in  almost  every  town  we 
go,  won't  we  ?" 

"  Yes,  every  town.  Some  places  charge  so  much 
that  we  won't  try  to  sell  in  them.  I'll  make  it  a 
point  after  this  to  find  out  about  a  license  as  soon 
as  we  enter  a  place." 

"  Yes,  do  that  by  all  means,"  returned  Matt, 
much  relieved. 

Now  that  they  had  a  license  good  for  the  balance 
of  the  day,  Matt  moved  that  they  remain  in  Newark 
and  try  to  make  more  sales. 

"  Let  us  try  all  the  restaurants,"  he  said.  "  We 
may  be  able  to  sell  more  of  those  knives  and  forks 
and  spoons." 

"  I  am  willing,"  said  Andy.     "  This  isn't  exactly 


80  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

auctioneering,  but  it  pays  just  as  well,  so  we  have 
no  cause  to  grumble." 

They  turned  back  into  the  business  portion  of  the 
city  and  drove  along  slowly  until  two  restaurants, 
directly  opposite  to  each  other,  were  reached. 

"  I'll  take  one  and  you  can  take  the  other,"  said 
Andy.  "  Be  sure  and  sell  all  you  can,"  he  added, 
with  a  laugh. 

Matt  nodded,  and  with  half  a  dozen  samples 
under  his  arm,  he  entered  the  restaurant  on  the 
right. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  boy's  heart  beat 
rather  fast.  This  was  the  first  time  he  had  endeav- 
ored to  effect  a  sale  solely  on  his  own  responsibility. 
Moreover,  Andy  was  pitted  against  him,  trying  to 
sell  goods  in  a  similar  way  to  similar  people. 

"I  must  do  as  well  as  he,"  thought  Matt.  *'If  I 
don't  he  may  imagine  I  am  not  worthy  of  being  an 
equal  partner  in  the  concern." 

The  place  Matt  had  entered  was  handsomely 
fitted  up  in  the  latest  style.  It  was  quite  large,  but 
at  this  hour  of  the  day  was  but  scantily  patronized. 
In  the  back  half  a  dozen  waiters  were  discussing 
the  merits  of  certain  race  horses,  while  behind  the 
cashier's  desk  a  young  man,  with  an  enormous 
diamond,  was  reading  a  copy  of  a  sensational  weekly. 

A  waiter  rushed  forward  to  conduct  Matt  to  a 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  81 

seat  at  one  of  the  tables,  but  the  boy  shook  his  head 
and  turned  to  the  desk. 

"  Can  I  see  the  proprietor  ?"  he  asked. 

The  clerk  had  laid  down  his  paper  and  gave  Matt 
an  ugly  stare  before  replying. 

"So  you  are  another  one  of  them,"  he  said 
slowly,  as  he  surveyed  the  boy  from  head  to  foot. 

Matt  was  somewhat  mystified  by  this,  but  smiled 
pleasantly. 

"  I  suppose  I  am — if  you  say  so,"  he  said.  "  Did 
you  say  the  proprietor  was  in  ?" 

"  No,  I  didn't  say  so.  Say,  you'll  wish  you  hadn't 
come  here  if  old  Mattison  gives  you  a  chance,"  went 
on  the  young  man,  in  a  lower  voice. 

"  Why  will  I  wish  that  V  questioned  Matt,  more 
mystified  than  ever. 

"  Because  he's  a  tough  customer  to  get  along 
with." 

"But  if  my  goods  and  the  price  suit,  why,  it 
ought  to  be  all  right." 

"  Goods  and  price  ?  What  are  you  talking  about  ?" 
demanded  the  young  man  quickly. 

"The  goods  I  have  to  sell — knives,  forks,  and 
spoons." 

"  Oh,  pshaw !  I  thought  you  were  another  of 
those  chumps  that  want  my  place  here.  Old 
Mattison  gave  me  notice  to  quit  next  Saturday,  and 


82  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

put  an  advertisement  in  the  paper  for  a  new  clerk, 
and  there  have  been  about  a  dozen  here  already." 

"  And  none  of  them  suit  ?" 

"  Suit !     lie's  a  man  that  is  never  suited." 

"  Then  perhaps  I  won't  be  able  to  sell  him  any 
goods,"  returned  Matt,  his  heart  sinking. 

"  It  ain't  likely.  Business  is  poor,  and  he  ain't 
having  more  than  he  can  help.  You  can  try  him, 
though." 

"  Where  is  he  ?" 

"  I'll  call  him." 

The  young  man  behind  the  desk  rang  the  bell  for 
one  of  the  waiters,  and  sent  that  individual  upstairs 
for  the  proprietor.  The  waiter  was  gone  nearly  five 
minutes  before  he  returned,  accompanied  by  ashort, 
stout  man,  with  bushy  black  hair  and  a  heavy 
beard. 

"  Well,  sir,  what  can  I  do  for  you  ?"  asked  the 
man  of  Matt. 

"  If  you  are  not  too  busy  I  would  like  to  show 
vou  s<>me  goods  which  are  both  good  and  very 
cheap,"  returned  Matt,  as  easily  as  he  could,  and 
without  waiting  for  a  reply  he  unrolled  his  pack- 
age of  samples,  and  placed  them  upon  the  desk. 

"  And  is  that  what  you  called  me  downstairs  for  ?" 
cried  the  proprietor  of  the  restaurant,  in  a  rage. 
6  Make  me  throw  down  a  good  hand  at  cards  just  to 


77/  E  TO  UNO  A  Ut  'TIO  WEER.  %\  • 

look  at  a  lot  of  tin  knives  and  Porks  !  You  peddlers 
are  getting  more  hold  every  day.  The  police  ought 
to  sit  down  on  every  one  of  you  !" 

"I  am  sorry  if  I  disturbed  your  leisure,'' returned 
Matt,  as  mildly  as  he  could.     "  But,  T  thought— 

"  You  thought  you  would  just  like  to  cheat  me 
into  buying  a  lot  of  your  trash,1'  finished  the 
restaurant  proprietor.  "Well,  you  can't  do  any- 
thing of  the  kind,  and  you  can  take  that  for  your 
impudence  !" 

And  hastily  gathering  up  the  package  of  samples, 
the  restaurant  keeper  walked  to  [the  open  doorway 
and  flung  knives,  forks  and  spoons  into  the  muddy 
gutter ! 


84  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

MATT    STANDS    UP    FOR    HIMSELF. 

It  was  evident,  by  the  self-satisfied  look  upon  the 
restaurant-keeper's  face,  that  the  hot-tempered  man 
supposed  that  he  had  done  a  very  smart  thing  in 
thus  disposing  of  Matt's  wares  by  throwing  the 
bundle  into  the  muddy  gutter  of  the  street. 

"  Now  pick  up  your  goods  and  skip  out !"  he  cried, 
as  he  turned  to  the  boy.  "  And  the  next  time  you 
be  careful  how  you  disturb  folks  when  they  are 
trying  to  take  it  a  little  easy !" 

For  the  instant  Matt  wTas  stupefied,  and  stood 
still,  hardly  moving  a  muscle. 

Then  the  boy's  natural  temper  arose  to  the  sur- 
face, and  for  the  moment  he  felt  as  if  he  must  fly 
at  the  man  and  pound  him  in  the  face  just  as  hard 
as  he  could.  His  face  grew  first  red  and  then 
deadly  pale.  The  man  saw  the  change  in  his 
countenance,  saw  the  fire  flash  in  the  boy's  eyes, 
and  stopped  short  just  as  he  was  about  to  repeat 
his  injunction  to  leave  the  establishment. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  85 

"  You  are  a — a  brute !"  exclaimed  Matt,  stepping 
forward  with  clinched  fists. 

"  What's  that  ?"  cried  the  restaurant-keeper,  so 
loudly  that  several  customers  and  a  number  of  the 
waiters  gathered  round  to  learn  the  cause  of  the 
trouble. 

"  I  say  you  are  a  brute !"  repeated  Matt,  undaunted 
by  the  fierce  look  the  restaurant-keeper  had  as- 
sumed. "  If  you  did  not  wish  to  buy  from  me  you 
could  have  said  so.  There  was  no  need  for  you  to 
throw  my  goods  in  the  gutter." 

"  Shut  up  and  clear  out !"  growled  the  man.  "  I 
want  no  back  talk  from  the  likes  of  you.  Do  you 
suppose  I  buy  from  beggars  and  thieves  ?" 

"  I  am  neither  a  beggar  nor  a  thief !"  returned 
Matt  striding  still  closer.  "  And  I  won't  allow  you 
nor  any  one  else  to  say  so." 

"  Oh,  you  won't  V '  sneered  the  man. 

"  No,  I  won't,"  answered  Matt  firmly.  "My 
business  is  just  as  honest  and  honorable  as  yours, 
even  though  I  may  not  make  such  enormous  prof- 
its," he  added,  bound  in  some  way  to  "get 
square." 

"  See  here,  are  you  going  to  get  out,  or  must  I  pitch 
you  out?"  howled  the  man  more  savagely  than 
ever. 

For  the  moment  Matt  did  not  reply.     He  was 


88  THE  YO  UNO  A  I  rC  'TIO  XEEll 

very  angry,  but  knew  it  would  do  him  more  harm 
than  good  to  lose  his  temper.  Yet  he  was  not  the 
person  to  allow  the  insults  he  had  received  to  pass 
unnoticed. 

"  I  will  get  out  just  as  soon  as  you  restore  my 
goods  to  me,"  he  said.  "  You  had  no  right  what- 
ever to  throw  them  into  the  gutter  and  soil 
them." 

"  What  ?" 

"  And  let  me  say,  too,  that  I  expect  my  goods  to 
come  back  to  me  just  as  clean  as  they  were  when 
you  took  them." 

"  You  say  another  word  and  111  stand  you  on 
your  head!11  fumed  the  proprietor  of  the  restaurant, 
but  the  look  in  Matt's  eyes  kept  him  from  laying 
hands  upon  the  bo\r. 

"  If  you  dare  to  touch  me  I'll  call  in  the  police," 
replied  Matt,  more  sharply  than  ever.  "I  have  a 
license,  and  by  that  license  the  police  are  bound  to 
protect  me.  Now,  you  get  ray  goods  back  for  me 
and  I'll  leave." 

"  I'll  see  you  in  Jericho  first !" 

"  Very  well ;  but  remember,  if  anything  is  lost  or 
damaged,  you'll  pay  the  bill." 

"  Good  for  the  boy  !"  exclaimed  one  of  the  men 
who  had  just  been  lunching  in  the  place.  "  I  like 
to  see  a  fellow  stick  up  for  his  rights." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  87 

"  See  here,  I  want  no  outside  interference  here !" 
Mustered  the  restaurant-keeper.  "I  am  fully  ca- 
pable of  attending  to  this  affair  myself." 

"Well,  I'm  going  to  see  that  the  boy  gets  a 
show,"  returned  the  other  coolly,  as  he  paid  the 
amount  of  his  check  and  lit  a  cigar  taken  from  his 
pocket.  "  I  don't  think  it  was  a  fair  deal  to  throw 
his  stuff  in  the  gutter." 

"  It  wasn't,"  put  in  another  customer.  "  He's  got 
to  make  a  living,  just  the  same  as  all  of  us." 

"  Oh,  don't  talk !"  cried  the  restaurant-keeper,  wav- 
ing them  away  with  his  hand.  u  Come,  now,  no 
more  talk!"  he  went  on  to  Matt.  "  Go,  before  I 
have  you  thrown  out." 

"  I  won't  budge  a  step,  excepting  it  is  to  call  the 
police,"  returned  Matt,  more  firmly  than  ever,  now 
that  he  saw  he  had  friends  in  the  crowd.  "  I'll 
give  you  just  live  minutes  to  give  me  Lack  my 
goods." 

The  restaurant-keeper  began  to  bluster  and 
threaten,  and  even  sent  a  waiter  out,  ostensibly  to 
call  in  a  policeman.  But  Matt  was  not  frightened, 
and  in  the  end  another  waiter  was  sent  to  gather  up 
the  sample  goods,  wipe  them  off  and  restore  them  to 
the  boy. 

"  Good  for  you,  boy !"  said  one  of  the  customers, 
as  he  followed  Matt  out  upon  the  sidewalk.     "  Al- 


88  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

ways  stick  up  for  your  rights,"  and  he  nodded  pleas- 
antly and  passed  on. 

When  Matt  reached  the  wagon  he  found  Andy 
had  not  }Tet  come  back.  He  accordingly  looked 
around,  and  seeing  another  restaurant  about  half  a 
block  further  down  the  street  entered  it. 

He  found  the  proprietor  behind  the  desk,  laughing 
quietly  to  himself.  He  had  heard  of  what  had  hap- 
pened in  his  neighbor's  place,  and  was  immensely 
tickled  thereby. 

"  Hullo !  ain't  you  the  boy  that  had  the  row  with 
Mattison  ?"  he  exclaimed  in  surprise. 

"I  had  some  trouble  with  that  man,"  said  Matt. 
"  But  it  was  not  my  fault,  I  can  assure  you." 

"  You  came  out  ahead,  didn't  you  ?  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  ! 
It  does  me  good  to  hear  it.  Tell  me  how  the  row 
started." 

Matt  did  so,  and  was  compelled  to  go  into  all  the 
details,  to  which  the  man  listened  with  keen  interest. 

u  Served  him  right!  He  can  get  along  with  no- 
body.    But  you  are  a  clever  one,  too." 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Matt. 

And  then  he  began  to  talk  business,  showing  up 
his  somewhat  bedimmed  samples  to  the  best  pos- 
sible advantage,  and  quoting  prices  in  a  manner  that 
made  the  restaurant-keeper  think  he  was  an  old 
hand  at  the  business. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  89 

The  man  was  not  particularly  in  need  of  any- 
thing, but  he  liked  Matt's  way,  and  thought  it  was 
worth  something  to  have  a  good  story  to  tell  to  his 
rival's  discredit.  He  bought  four  dozen  triple- 
plated  spoons  and  a  carving-knife,  and  then  Matt 
persuaded  him  to  invest  in  a  new  toothpick  holder, 
and  a  match  holder  of  aluminum,  which  were  both 
very  pretty  and  cheap. 

"  Just  an  even  seven  dollars  !"  thought  Matt,  as 
he  hurried  back  to  the  wagon.  "  I  don't  think  that 
so  bad.  Our  profits  on  that  sale  ought  to  be  at 
least  two  dollars." 

Andy  was  waiting  for  him.  He  had  sold,  after  a 
good  deal  of  hard  talking,  a  dozen  knives  and  forks, 
upon  which  he  had  been  forced  to  make  a  slight 
discount.  He  listened  to  Matt's  story  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"  Seven  dollars'  worth  !  That's  fine,  Matt !  You 
must  be  a  born  salesman.  Keep  right  on,  by  all 
means." 

"  But  I  don't  expect  any  such  luck  every  time," 
returned  the  boy,  and  then  he  told  the  story  of  his 
troubles  in  the  first  restaurant  he  had  visited. 

"  It  was  plucky  in  you  to  stick  out  as  you  did," 
was  Andy's  comment.  "  I  don't  believe  I  could 
have  done  it.  I  would  have  gone  out  and  picked  up 
the  things  myself." 


00  THE  VOTING  AUCTIONEER 

"1  wouldn't,  never !"  cried   Matt,  and  his  whole 

fare  showed  the  spirit  within  him. 

It  was  only  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
Andy  suggested  that  they  continue  to  try  their 
luck  until  sundown.  So  they  drove  on  down  the 
street  slowly,  visiting  every  restaurant  and  many 
stores  on  the  way. 

Tn  one  place  Matt  sold  a  dozen  spoons,  and  in 
another  a  fancy  water-pitcher.  Andy  sold  some 
spoons  also,  and  a  cheap  watch  and  chain,  which 
the  buyer  explained  he  intended  to  sell  to  some 
customer  for  double  the  money. 

At  the  last  place  at  which  they  stopped  Andy 
made  arrangements  to  remain  all  night,  A  stable 
was  also  found  for  Billy  and  the  wagon,  and  by 
eight  o'clock  the  partners  found  themselves  free 
from  business  cares.  Matt  moved  that  they  have 
supper,  and  to  tins  Andy  willingly  agreed. 

While  the  two  were  waiting  for  their  orders  to 
be  filled,  Andy  brought  out  a  bit  of  paper  and  a 
pencil  and  began  to  figure. 

"  The  net  receipts  for  the  day  were  eighteen 
dollars  and  a  half,"  he  said,  when  he  had  finished. 
"  The  goods  and  the  license  cost  thirteen  dollars 
and  sixty  cents.  That  leaves  a  profit  of  four  dollars 
and  ninety  cents,  which  is  not  so  bad,  considering 
that  we  only  worked  about  five  hours  all  told." 


THE  TOUNO  AUCTIONEER,  9] 

"And  what  were  our  expenses  ?"  asked  Matt. 

Andy  did  a  little  more  figuring. 

"Expenses    from  this  morning  until  to-morrow 

morning,  including  this  supper,  about  two  dollars 
and  thirty  cents." 

"  Then  w7e  have  two  dollars  and  sixty  cents  over 
all  r 

"  Yes,  that  is,  without  counting  wear  and  tear  on 
wagon,  harness,  and  so  forth." 

"Of  course.     But  that  isn't  so  bad." 

"Indeed  it  is  not,"  returned  Andy.  "If  we  do 
as  well  as  that  every  day  we  shall  get  along  very 
well,  although  I  trust  to  do  even  better/1 


92  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEK    XIII. 


THE    CORN    SALVE    DOCTOR. 


After  supper  the  two  partners  found  that  time 
hung  a  little  heavily  upon  their  hands.  Matt  sug- 
gested that  they  walk  around  the  city  a  bit,  taking 
in  the  sights,  but  Andy  was  too  tired. 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do,  though,"  said  the 
older  member  of  the  firm.  "  I'll  get  one  of  the  ac- 
cordions out  and  you  can  get  a  banjo,  and  we  can 
practice  a  little.  There  is  nothing  like  being  pre- 
pared for  an  emergency,  you  know." 

"  That  is  true,  and  we'll  have  to  brush  up  quite  a 
bit  if  we  wish  to  play  in  public,"  laughed  Matt. 

He  accompanied  Andy  to  the  barn  where  the 
wagon  was  stored,  and  they  brought  not  only  the 
accordion  and  the  banjo,  but  also  a  violin  and  a 
mouth  harmonica. 

These  instruments  they  took  to  the  bedroom 
which  had  been  assigned  to  them,  and  here,  while 
it  was  yet  early,  they  tuned  up  and  began  to  prac- 
tice upon  such  simple  tunes  as  both  knew  by  heart. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  93 

Matt  first  tried  the  banjo,  and  after  he  had  it  in 
tune  with  the  accordion,  the  partners  played  half  a 
dozen  selections  quite  creditably. 

"  We  wouldn't  do  for  grand  opera  soloists,  but  I 
guess  it  will  be  good  enough  to  attract  crowds  in 
small  country  towns,"  laughed  Andy,  as  he  ground 
out  a  lively  German  waltz. 

"  Supposing  we  try  the  violin  and  banjo,"  sug- 
gested Matt,  and  Andy  took  up  the  king  of  instru- 
ments. 

But  this  did  not  go  so  well,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  Andy  turned  back  to  the  accordion,  which, 
according  to  his  statement,  half-played  itself.  Matt 
tried  the  mouth  harmonica,  and  surprised  not  only 
Andy,  but  half  a  dozen  listeners,  by  the  wonderful 
effects  he  produced  upon  the  little  instrument. 

"  Good  for  you  !"  shouted  Andy,  as  Matt  finished 
a  particularly  clever  selection.  "  If  the  auction 
business  fails,  you  can  go  on  the  variety  stage." 

"  No,  thank  you,"  returned  Matt.  "  I  understand 
enough  about  it  to  know  that  it  is  little  better  than 
a  dog's  life.  I  just  as  lief  stick  to  what  I'm  doing, 
or  become  a  traveling  order  salesman  for  some  big 
New  York  house." 

"Well,  I  don't  know  but  what  that  shows  your 
level-head edness,"  returned  Andy. 

The  two  slept  soundly  that  night.     Matt  was  up 


\i[  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 

at  five  o'clock  the  next  morning,  and  lie  at  once 

aroused  his  partner.  They  had  an  early  breakfast, 
and  then  walked  around  to  the  stable  where  the 
wagon  was  housed. 

While  they  were  hitching  up  Billy  a  middle-aged 
man,  rather  slouch}7  in  appearance,  came  shuffling 
in.  . 

"Are  you  the  two  young  fellers  what's  running 
this  here  auction  wagon?"  he  began,  addressing 
Matt. 

"  We  are,'1  returned  the  boy.  "  What  do  you 
want  ?" 

"Pretty  good  business,  ain't  it?-"  went  on  the 
stranger,  without  answering  the  question  which  had 
been  put. 

"  Sometimes  it  is." 

"  I  reckon  there's  a  heap  of  money  in  it,*'  pro- 
ceeded the  shabby  stranger. 

"  Well,  we  are  not  yet  millionaires,"  put  in  Andy, 
with  a  pleasant  laugh. 

"  I  know  a  feller  what  made  a  pile  of  money  in 
the  auction  business,"  remarked  the  man  as  he 
ejected  a  quantity  of  tobacco  juice  from  his  mouth. 
"  He  was  a  rip-snorter  at  it,  though — could  talk  a 
table  into  walking  off — and  keep  it  up  all  day  and 
half  the  night." 

To  this  statement  Matt  and  Andy  made  no  reply. 


THE  YOUNG  A  I  WE.  95 

Neither  liked  the  looks  of  the  newcomer,  and  both 

wished  he  would  go  away. 

"  Say,   you  don't    want   to   take   a  fellow    in, 
your'  asked  the  man,  after  a  slight  pause,  as   hi 
came  close  beside  Matt,  who  was  nearest  to  him. 

"No,  we   haven't   any    work   for   an    outsidi 
returned  the  boyc 

"I'm  a  rustler  when  I  get  a-going,  let  me  tell 
you.  I  can  tell  stories  and  sing  and  sell  more  goods 
than  any  one  has  any  idea  of  Besides  that,  I've 
got  a  new  corn  salve  I  put  up  myself  which  goes 
like  hot  cakes.  Barberry's  Lightning  Salve,  I  call 
it — my  name  is  Paul  Barberry,  you  know — Dr. 
Barberry,  most  of  'em  call  me.  Say  the  word,  and 
111  go  with  you  and  put  up  mv  salve  against  your 
outfit,  and  we'll  share  and  share  alike/ 

"  As  I  said  before,  we  have  no  room  for  an  out- 
sider," returned  Matt,  while  Andy  nodded  approv- 
ingly. "  The  wagon  seat  only  holds  two,  and 
besides,  our  plans  are  all  completed  for  our 
trip." 

"  Humph  !"  The  man's  face  took  on  a  sour  look. 
"  You  are  missing  the  chance  of  your  lives." 

"  We'll  risk  it,"  laughed  Andy. 

"  I  can  sell  more  salve  than  you  can  sell  other 
goods  every  day  in  the  week — and  make  more 
money,  too." 


96  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Then  you  had  better  start  alone — and  at  once," 
returned  Andy  short Jy. 

"I  will — if  you  fellers  won't  take  me  in  as  a 
working  partner.  I  made  the  suggestion  only  be- 
cause I  thought  it  would  be  more  pleasant  to  travel 
in  a  company  of  three." 

"  "We  are  satisfied  to  go  it  without  outside  assist- 
ance," cried  Matt,  as  he  hopped  on  the  seat.  "  All 
ready,  Andy?" 

"  Yes,  go  on,"  returned  his  partner,  climbing  up 
beside  him. 

"  Then  you  wonTt  make  a  deal  with  me  ?"  ques- 
tioned Paul  Barberry  more  sourly  than  ever. 

"  No,"  replied  Matt  and  And}7  in  a  breath,  and 
while  one  gathered  up  the  lines  the  other  spoke  to 
the  horse,  and  the  turnout  began  to  leave  the 
stable. 

"All  right^  shouted  Paul  Barberry  "  You  may 
be  sorry  for  it.  You  young  fellows  think  you  know 
it  all,  but  you  may  get  tripped  up  badly  before 
long,"  and  picking  up  an  ancient  and  decidedly 
rusty  traveling-bag  which  he  possessed,  the  corn 
salve  doctor  trudged  away  up  the  street. 

"  What  a  forward  man !"  exclaimed  Matt,  as  they 
moved  oft.  "  Why,  he  actually  wanted  to  force 
himself  on  us!" 

"  There  are  a  good  many  such   fellows  on  the 


THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER.  97 

road,"  returned  Andy.  "  The  moment  they  see 
some  one  who  appears  to  be  prospering,  they  try 
their  best  to  get  in  with  him.  I  dare  say  that 
Dr.  Paul  Barberry  is  about  broke,  and  would 
consider  it  a  windfall  of  fortune  to  be  taken  in  by 
the  owners  and  managers  of  the  Eureka  Auction 
Co." 

"  I  wonder  if  we'll  meet  him  again,"  mused  Matt, 
as  he  looked  back  just  in  time  to  see  the  shabby 
figure  disappear  around  a  corner. 

"  Oh,  he  may  turn  up  again ;  such  fellows  very 
often  do,"  replied  Andy. 

But  neither  he  nor  Matt  dreamed  of  the  peculiar 
circumstances  under  which  they  would  again  come 
in  contact  with  Paul  Barberry. 

The  day  was  warm  and  bright,  and  Billy,  the 
horse,  appeared  in  excellent  spirits  by  the  way  he 
trotted  along  over  the  macadamized  road  from 
Newark  to  Elizabeth. 

It  was  not  their  intention  to  stop  at  the  latter 
place,  but  just  as  they  reached  the  outskirts  of  the 
city  Billy  began  to  limp,  and  they  saw  that  one  of 
his  shoes  had  become  loose. 

"  We'll  have  to  take  him  around  to  a  blacksmith 
shop,"  said  Andy,  and  they  accordingly  drove  on 
until  such  a  place  was  reached. 

Here  they  found  they  would  have  to  wait  until 


98  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

dinner-time  before  the  shoe  could  be  refitted. 
Rather  than  go  to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  get- 
ting a  license,  however,  they  decided  to  spend  the 
time  in  walking  around. 

"  This  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  in  Xew  Jersey," 
remarked  Andy,  as  they  walked  around  the  depots 
and  down  Broad  Street,  the  main  thoroughfare. 
".Down  along  the  water  front  is  one  of  the  largest 
sewing  machine  factories  in  the  world  I  was 
through  it  once  and  I  can  tell  you  it  was  a  sight 
well  worth  seeing." 

Just  before  twelve  o^clock  they  stopped  in  a 
restaurant  not  far  from  the  blacksmith  shop,  and 
had  dinner.  By  the  time  this  was  over  Billy's  shoe 
had  been  readjusted,  and  once  more  they  were  off. 

It  was  easy  driving  along  the  smooth  country 
road,  and  after  passing  through  Cranford,  West- 
field  and  several  smaller  places,  they  struck  out  for 
Plainfield,  which  Andy  declared  was  to  be  their 
first  regular  stopping  place. 

"  It  is  a  fair-sized  city,"  he  said.  "  And  if  we  can 
strike  the  right  stand  we  ought  to  do  well  there  for 
several  days  or  a  week." 

"I  hope  we  do  well,"  returned  Matt.  "We  need 
a  good  start,  for  as  yet  our  ready  funds  are  rather 
low." 

"  You  will  have  vour  first  chance  to  do  a  bit  of 


TJl/iJ  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  99 

regular  auctioneering,"  smiled  Addy.  "I  trust  you 
are  not  nervous  over  the  prospects." 

u  Never  mind  if  I  am,"  returned  Matt  bravely. 
"I  am  going  to  do  my  best.  If  I  get  nervous  I'll 
get  over  it  just  as  quickly  as  I  can." 

Some  time  before  sundown  they  entered  Plain- 
field  ;  half  an  hour  later  they  found  a  suitable  stop- 
ping place,  and  then  Andy  went  off  to  secure  some 
stand  where  they  might  do  business. 

He  came  back  in  an  hour  and  stated  that  he  had 
secured  an  empty  store,  which  would  be  much 
better  than  selling  from  the  wagon. 

"The  store  will  only  cost  us  a  dollar  a  day  as 
long  as  we  use  it,  and  we  ought  to  he  able  to  make 
that  much  more  out  of  it,"  he  said. 

Thev  went  to  work  that  night  transferring  the 
stock  from  the  wagon  to  the  store  shelves,  and  when 
this  was  finished  both  set  to  work  to  wash  and  dress 
the  show  window. 

On  the  following  morning  at  ten  o'clock,  they 
hung"  out  a  red  fla^,  and  then  the  Eureka  Auction 
Co.  was  readv  for  business. 


100  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

THE     YOUNG     AUCTIONEER. 

"  I  feel  like  a  cat  in  a  strange  garret !"  exclaimed 
Matt,  as  he  walked  up  and  down  behind  the  counter 
on  a  raised  platform  he  and  Andy  had  placed  there. 
tl  This  is  like  going  into  cold  water  an  inch  at  a 
time.     I  would  rather  plunge  in  head  first." 

"  Then  here  goes,"  cried  Andy,  catching  up  an 
accordion  that  stood  close  at  hand.  "  Let  us  see 
what  we  can  do  toward  drawing  a  crowd  in.  There 
must  be  something  going  on,  for  the  streets  are 
fdling  up  with  people." 

"  There  is  a  cheap  circus  to  exhibit.  I  saw  the 
posters.     Perhaps  they  intend  to  give  a  parade." 

"  Most  likely.  Get  your  banjo,  Matt,  and  let  us 
give  them  our  best  selection." 

Matt  did  as  requested ;  and  as  the  music  rang 
out  those  on  the  pavement  began  to  pause,  and 
half  a  dozen  stopped  at  the  open  door  and  peered 
in. 

"  Come  right  in  !    Come  right  in  !"  shouted  Andy. 


THE  TOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  101 

"  The  auction  is  now  about  to  begin,  and  you  don't 
want  to  miss  the  chance  of  your  lives !" 

"  Plenty  of  room  for  everybody  !"  shouted  Matt 
directly  after  him.  His  voice  was  a  trifle  unsteady 
through  excitement.  "  Don't  wait  outside,  but 
secure  a  good  place,  where  you  can  hear  and  see  all 
that  is  going  on.  You  need  not  buy  if  you  do  not 
wish.  One  more  tune,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and 
then  we  will  show  you  the  best  bargains  ever 
exhibited  in  this  city.  That's  right,  come  right 
in!" 

Thus  urged,  the  folks  began  to  drift  in,  singly  and 
in  pairs,  until,  when  the  next  tune  was  finished,  the 
store  held  perhaps  twenty-five  men,  women  and 
boys.  Several  children  had  tried  to  enter,  but 
Andy  had  shook  his  head  at  them,  and  thus  kept 
them  outside. 

"  Say,  what's  them  pocket-knives  worth  ?"  asked 
one  old  man  evidently  from  the  country,  as  he 
pointed  to  a  board  stuck  full  of  the  glittering 
blades. 

"  Which  knife,  sir  ?"  asked  Matt,  in  a  business-like 
way. 

"  That  one  with  the  buckhorn  handle  and  prunin' 
blade." 

"  That  sir,  is  one  of  our  best  knives.  Well  made, 
of  the  best  steel,  and  one  that  ought  to  last  you  a 


102  THE  YO  UNQ  A  UGTIONEER. 

good  many  years.  What  do  you  offer  for  it, 
sir  C 

"Offer?"  repeated  the  old  man  in  astonishment. 

"Yes,  sir,  make  an  offer,  please." 

tw  Ain't  you  got  no  price  sot  on  it  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  this  is  an  auction  store,  and  we  take 
what  we  can  get  for  a  thing.  Come,  make  an 
offers 

"  III  give  ye  a  quarter  for  it,"  said  the  old  man 
after  considerable  hesitation. 

"  A  quarter  I  am  offered  for  this  beautiful  knife !" 
shouted  Matt,  taking  up  the  blade  and  holding  it 
up  so  that  all  might  see  it.  "  It  is  a  knife  with  four 
strong  blades,  a  buckhorn  handle,  well  riveted,  and 
extra-tempered  springs,  fully  warranted.  A  quarter, 
ladies  and  gentlemen  ;  who  says  thirty  cents  V 

"  Thirty !"  returned  a  young  man,  after  an  ex- 
amination of  the  knife. 

"Thirty  cents  I  am  offered.  Thirty!  thirty! 
Some  one  make  it  thirty-live " 

"Thirty-five  cents  I'1  put  in  the  old  countryman. 
"  I  guess  that  knife  is  wuth  that  to  me." 

"  Forty !"  said  the  young  man  promptly.  He 
appeared  to  be  rich,  and  was  bidding  more  to  tease 
the  old  countryman  than  because  he  desired  the 
knife. 

"  Forty  I  am  offered !"  sang  out  Matt,  who  did 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEERS  AT  WORK. 


Y.A. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  103 

not  care  who  obtained  the  knife,  so  long  as  a  good 
figure  was  reached.  "Forty!  forty!  Come,  gentle- 
men, a  bit  higher  than  that,  please !" 

"  Forty-five  cents,  and  that's  more  than  a  good 
price,'1  grumbled  the  old  countryman,  who  had, 
however,  set  his  heart  on  the  knife  the  moment  he 
had  first  seen  it. 

"  Half  a  dollar !"  sang  out  the  young  man 
promptly. 

"  Fifty  cents  I  am  offered  P'  went  on  Matt,  in  a 
business-like  way.  "  Fifty  cents,  gentlemen,  for  a 
knife  that  ought  to  be  in  every  one's  pocket — a 
knife  worth  having  !     Who  says  seventy-five  !" 

Matt  knew  very  well  that  no  one  in  the  crowd 
would  make  such  a  jump,  but  he  hoped  to  cause  the 
old  man  to  bid  again,  and  his  hope  was  realized. 
Instead  of  going  to  fifty-five,  the  countryman 
offered  sixty  cents. 

He  had  hardly  made  the  offer  when  the  young 
man,  thinking  he  had  aroused  the  old  man  to  a 
state  of  recklessness  in  which  he  would  keep  on  bid- 
ding, offered  seventy-five  cents  for  the  knife. 

"  Seventy -five  cents  I  am  offered  !"  cried  Matt. 
"Who  makes  it  a  dollar — ninety — eighty-live — 
eighty  2"  and  he  glanced  inquiringly  at  the  old 
countryman. 

But  the  old  man  shook  his  head. 


104  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

"  Not  a  penny  over  seventy-five  cents,"  he  mut- 
tered in  a  low  tone. 

"  Seventy-five  !"  went  on  Matt.  "  Come,  now, 
raise  it  just  a  bit !  The  knife  is  really  worth  it. 
Who  says  eighty?  Seventy-five-five-five!  Last 
i  all,  remember !  Going,  going — gone  !  to  that  young 
man  for  seventy-five  cents  !" 

And  Matt  held  out  the  knife  to  the  last  bidder, 
and  motioned  to  Andy  to  collect  the  money. 

The  young  man  grew  red  and  drew  back. 

"  Oh,  pshaw !  I  didn't  want  the  knife  !"  he  grum- 
bled. "  Put  it  up  again,  maybe  }Tou'll  get  a  bigger 
price  for  it,"  and  he  began  to  edge  his  way  toward 
the  door. 

"  Hold  on !  Not  so  fast !"  said  Andy,  in  a  low 
voice,  as  he  caught  him  by  the  arm.  "  This  com- 
pany doesn't  do  business  that  way.  If  you  did  not 
wish  the  knife  you  should  not  have  bid  for  it.  We 
are  not  running  this  store  for  fun." 

The  young  man  looked  at  him  impudently.  But 
the  clear,  stern  eyes  of  Matt's  partner  made  him 
wilt,  and  muttering  something  under  his  breath 
about  getting  square,  he  paid  over  the  amount,  took 
the  knife,  and  sneaked  out  of  the  now  crowded 
store. 

In  the  meantime,  the  old  countryman  was  about 
to  leave,  disappointed  over  his  failure  to  secure  the 


THE  TO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER.  105 

prize  he  coveted.  He  wished  just  such  a  knife,  and 
knew  that  he  would  have  to  pay  a  dollar  or  more  at 
the  hardware  store  for  it. 

"  Wait  a  minute,  please,"  said  Matt  to  him.  "  I 
have  another  such  a  knife.  If  you  wish  it  you  can 
have  it  at  the  same  figure  that  the  young  man 
paid." 

"  Let's  look  at  the  knife." 

The  countryman  made  a  careful  examination  of 
the  blade,  and  finally  agreed  to  take  it. 

"  I'll  send  my  son  Tom  around  for  an  accordion," 
he  said,  before  leaving.  "  He's  dead  stuck  on 
music,  Tom  is." 

"  Thank  you,  we  shall  be  pleased  to  see  him,"  re- 
turned Matt  politely,  and  the  old  countryman  went 
off  much  pleased  over  the  way  he  had  been  treated. 

At  a  word  from  Andy,  Matt  brought  the  entire 
board  of  knives  out  so  that  all  might  examine 
them. 

"  Seventy-five  cents  was  the  auction  price,"  he 
explained,  "  So  any  one  can  step  up  and  take  his 
or  her  choice  for  that  amount.  They  are  well 
worth  your  inspection.  Any  of  the  knives  will 
stick,  but  you  can't  get  stuck  on  a  single  one  of 
them." 

This  little  joke  made  the  crowd  laugh,  and  a 
dozen  or  more  pressed  forward  to  look  at  the  knives. 


10,;  77/ K  1 7>  /  X(r   A  I  <  'TIO XVER. 

One  young  man  bought  a  pearl-handled  article,  and 
a  young  lady  bought  one  which  contained  a  lead 
pencil  and  a  button-hook. 

While  Matt  was  making  these  sales  Andy  was 
busy  showing  off  the  merits  of  several  articles  of 
bric-a-brac  which  a  bevy  of  ladies  were  admiring. 
He  told  them  how  he  had  obtained  them  at  a  sacri- 
fice sale,  and  was  thus  enabled  to  sell  them  quite 
reasonable.  The  lady  who  led  the  party  did  not 
wish  to  bid  on  the  articles  at  auction,  so  Andy  very 
obligingly  set  a  figure,  and  after  some  little 
hassling:,  the  lady  took  three  dollars'  worth  of 
goods,  to  be  delivered  at  her  house  on  the  outskirts 
of  the  city. 

By  this  time  both  of  the  young  auctioneers  were 
certain  that  they  were  going  to  have  a  good  day's 
sales. 

"  That  circus  has  brought  the  people  out,"  whis- 
pered Andy  to  Matt.  "  A\re  were  very  fortunate  to 
strike  here  when  Ave  did.  ^\re  must  make  the  most 
of  the  day." 

"  What  shall  I  try  next?"  asked  Matt.  "  I  have 
sold  four  of  the  knives." 

"  Try  something  small,  for  they  won't  want  to 
carry  bulky  packages  with  them.  I  see  there  are  a 
lot  of  young  fellows  drifting  in.  You  might  get 
out   the   mouth  harmonicas  and  interest   them  in 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  107 

them.  I'll  show  those  ladies  the  jewelry,  and  try 
to  make  some  more  private  sales." 

To  this  Matt  agreed,  and  he  was  soon  playing  a 
lively  air  that  caused  all  of  the  young  men  and 
boys  to  gather  around  him. 

"Any  one  can  play  if  he  has  music  in  him  and 
such  an  instrument  as  this  in  his  possession,"  he 
argued,  after  he  had  finished.  "  To  show  that  it  is 
all  right  and  in  perfect  tune,  I  will  put  up  the  one 
I  have  been  playing  upon.  How  much  am  I 
offered  F 

"  Ten  cents  !"  cried  a  boy  standing  close  at  hand. 

"  Ten  cents  I  am  offered.     Ten  ce " 

Matt  got  no  further,  for  at  that  moment  a  loud 
cry  upon  the  street  drowned  out  every  other  sound 

"  Look  out  for  the  bear  !     He  is  mad  !" 

"He  is  coming  this  way  !" 

"  Scatter  for  your  lives  I" 

These  and  a  hundred  other  cries  rent  the  air. 
Then  came  a  crash  of  window  glass,  and  the  next 
moment  a  huge  brown  bear  leaped  into  the  show 
window,  not  over  two  yards  away  from  where  Matt 
was  standing. 


108  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEE    XV. 


THE    CHARMS    OF    MUSIC. 


For  the  moment  after  the  brown  bear  crashed 
through  the  glass  and  landed  in  the  show  window 
of  the  auction  store  Matt  was  too  astonished  to 
move. 

The  entrance  of  the  great  beast,  which  had  un- 
doubtedly escaped  from  the  circus  men  during  the 
parade,  was  so  totally  unexpected  that  all  in  the 
place  were  too  paralyzed  with  fear  to  move. 

Screams  of  terror  rent  the  air,  and  to  these  the 
brown  bear  added  a  growl  which  was  both  deep 
and  angry. 

Andy,  who  stood  some  distance  behind  Matt,  was 
the  first  to  do  any  rational  talking. 

"  Grab  the  pistol,  Matt !"  he  exclaimed.  "  Grab  it 
quick!" 

The  weapon  to  which  Andy  referred  was  lying 
under  the  counter,  just  in  front  of  the  boy.  It  had 
been  purchased  by  the  firm  and  placed  there  in  case 
some  ugly  person  raised  a  dispute,  or  a  sneak-thief 


THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER.  109 

tried  to  run  off  with  any  article.  Andy  had  said 
that  the  mere  sight  of  a  pistol  would  often  bring 
matters  to  terms  when  words  had  no  effect. 

Matt  understood  his  partner's  cry,  and  he  lost  no 
time  in  acting  upon  it.  He  caught  up  the  pistol, 
and  at  once  aimed  it  at  the  bear's  head. 

Whether  or  not  the  beast  understood  that  his  life 
was  in  danger  would  be  hard  to  say,  but  no  sooner 
had  the  weapon  been  pointed  at  him  than  he  arose 
on  his  hind  legs  and  emitted  a  growl  that  was  fairly 
blood-curdling  to  the  involuntary  listeners. 

Matt  did  not  claim  to  be  a  crack  shot,  having  had 
but  slight  experience  in  pistol  practice,  and,  even  in 
that  moment  of  peril,  he  hesitated  to  shoot,  fearful 
of  missing  the  bear  and  striking  some  one  on  the 
sidewalk  outside. 

"  Clear  the  way  out  there !"  he  cried.  "  Clear  the 
way,  or  you  may  get  shot !" 

His  words  had  the  effect  of  scattering  the  few 
venturesome  persons  who  had  collected  to  see  what 
the  bear  might  do.  In  the  meantime  those  in  the 
store  ran  out  of  the  open  doors  as  quickly  as  they 
could.  Andy  alone  remained  with  his  partner, 
arming  himself  with  the  longest  carving-knife  the 
stock  afforded. 

Once  on  his  hind  legs  the  brown  bear  hesitated 
in  his  movements.     He  was  separated  from  Matt  by 


HO  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 

five  feet  of  space  between  the  show  window  and  the 
raised  platform  upon  which  the  boy  stood.  He  did 
not  seem  to  wish  to  leap  the  span,  nor  did  he  appeal' 
inclined  to  step  down  to  the  floor  and  then  up  upon 
the  platform. 

"  Why  don't  you  let  him  have  it  ?'5  yelled  Andy, 
as  he  saw  Matt  raise  the  pistol  and  then  lower  it 
again. 

"I  don't  believe  he's  so  mad  after  all,"  returned 
the  boy.  "  I'm  not  going  to  shoot  until  I  have  to. 
Say  !"  he  went  on  suddenly,  "  give  him  a  tune  on 
one  of  the  accordions/' 

"  What's  that  ?"  gasped  Andy  in  astonishment. 

"  Play  him  a  time.  He  may  be  a  trained  bear, 
and  if  so,  the  music  may  soothe  him." 

Andy  at  once  caught  Matt's  i(Jea,  and,  taking  up 
an  accordion  which  stood  close  at  hand,  he  began  a 
lively  tune  of  a  popular  sort. 

At  the  first  bars  of  the  tune  the  brown  bear  ap- 
peared surprised.  He  raised  himself  up  higher  than 
ever  on  his  hind  legs,  until  his  head  touched  the  top 
of  the  show  window.  Then  he  started  as  if  to 
dance,  crashing  over  every  article  which  was  on 
exhibition.  Finding  he  could  not  dance  in  the 
limited  space  around  him,  he  leaped  to  the  pave- 
ment outside,  and  there,  to  the  bystanders'  amaze- 
ment and  relief,  began  to  execute  a  clumsy  jig. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  m 

"  lie's  dancing,  sure  enough  !"  cried  Andy.  "  That 
was  a  good  idea  of  yours,  Matt." 

"  Keep  it  up  until  his  keepers  come,"  returned 
the  boy.  "Lively,  now,  Andy,  for  playing  means 
something." 

Andy  continued  to  play,  and  as  the  brown  bear 
began  to  dance  more  heartily  than  ever,  the  people, 
who  a  moment  before  had  been  so  frightened,  gath- 
ered about  and  began  to  laugh. 

"  That's  better  than  shooting  him,"  remarked  one 
man. 

"  Indeed,  it  is,"  returned  another.  "  Keep  it  up, 
young  fellow !" 

And  Andy  did  keep  it  up  until  two  keepers  ap- 
peared, hatless  and  almost  out  of  breath,  and  took 
the  bear  in  charge. 

"  Doxie  would  have  been  all  right,"  one  of  them 
explained ;  "  but  while  he  was  performing  on  the 
square  below  some  mischievous  boy  threw  some 
pepper  in  his  mouth." 

"  Yes,  and  Doxie  went  after  him,"  added  the 
other.  "  It's  lucky  for  the  boy  that  he  got  out  of 
sight,  for  had  Doxie  caught  him  he  would  have 
chewed  him  up." 

"I  am  very  thankful  that  he  did  not  do  any  fur- 
ther damage,"  said  Matt.  "  I  thought  I  would  have 
to  shoot  him,"  and  he  exhibited  the  pistol. 


112  TEE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"It's  lucky  for  you  that  you  didn't  shoot  Doxie," 
cried  the  head  keeper.  "  You  would  have  been  a 
couple  of  hundred  out  of  pocket." 

"That  reminds  me,"  put  in  Andy.  "Who  is 
going  to  pay  for  that  smashed  show  window  and  the 
ruined  goods  ?" 

At  this  the  faces  of  the  two  keepers  fell.  The 
brown  bear  had  been  hi  their  keeping,  and  they 
knew  that  the  proprietor  of  the  circus  would  hold 
them  responsible  for  any  damage  done. 

"  Well,  that  is  not  our  fault,"  returned  the  head 
keeper  blandly.  "  I  reckon  you  will  have  to  bear 
the  loss  yourselves." 

"  Indeed,  not !"  cried  Matt.  "  The  owner  of  this 
bear  will  pay  every  cent." 

"  Well,  go  on  and  see  him,  then,"  returned  the 
keeper  curtly,  and  throwing  a  chain  over  the  bear's 
head,  he  started  to  lead  the  animal  away. 

"  Hold  on,"  said  Andy  quietly  but  firmly.  "  You 
will  not  take  that  bear  away  until  this  matter  is 
settled.     Matt,  see  if  you  can  find  a  policeman." 

A  policeman  was  close  at  hand,  and  he  was  at 
once  summoned.  A  long  altercation  followed,  in 
which  the  keepers  tried  to  disown  any  responsibility 
in  the  matter. 

"Whom  does  the  bear  belong  to?"  questioned 
Andy  at  last. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  113 

"  Mr.  Menville,  the  proprietor  of  the  show." 

"Then  you  leave  hhn  here  until  Mr.  Menville 
comes  for  him,"  was  the  quick  reply.  "  Mr.  Officer, 
please  see  to  it  that  the  bear  is  not  taken  away.  I 
think  he  might  very  easily  be  chained  to  that  h itch- 
ing-post by  the  curb." 

"Sure,  an'  Oi  dunno  about  this!"  exclaimed  the 
policeman,  an  old  Irishman.  "  Ye  had  better  let 
him  take  the  baste  away." 

"  No,  he'll  stay  here  until  damages  are  settled," 
said  Andy.  "  They  do  not  own  the  bear,  and  if 
they  attempt  to  take  him  away  arrest  them  both." 

Andy  did  not  know  if  he  was  acting  according  to 
law  or  not,  and,  for  that  matter,  neither  did  the 
policeman.  But  the  auctioneer's  firm  stand  had  the 
desired  effect,  for  the  two  keepers  presently  weak- 
ened, and  asked  what  it  would  cost  to  replace  the 
window  and  the  goods  spoiled. 

A  glazier  was  called  in,  and  while  he  was  figuring 
Matt  and  Andy  went  over  the  stock.  At  the  end 
of  ten  minutes  it  was  found  that  sixteen  dollars 
would  cover  all  Joss.  With  much  grumbling  the 
circus  men  paid  the  amount,  and  they  were  then 
permitted  to  lead  the  brown  bear  away. 

"  Quite  a  bit  of  excitement,  I  must  say,"  was 
Matt's  comment  after  it  was  all  over.  "  I  don't 
want  to  go  through  any  such  scare  again," 


114  Tllh:  YOUXG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Nor  I,"  returned  Andy.  "  But,  see,  there  is 
quite  a  crowd  gathered  around  yet.  Let  us  make 
the  most  of  the  chance." 

"  I  am  too  unstrung  to  auction  off  any  stuff,11  ad- 
mitted Matt.     "  That  first  scare  was  enough  to  take 
the  heart  right  out  of  a  felloAV.     You  go  ahead  if 
you  wish,  and  I'll  clean  out  the  window  and  get  j 
things  ready  for  that  new  frame  and  glass." 

So  without  further  delay  Andy  began  to  address 
the  people,  and  soon  he  had  the  store  once  moiv 
filled.  He  kept  on  auctioning  stuff  off  until  one 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  crowd  thinned 
out,  being  composed  principally  of  folks  who  had 
come  into  the  city  to  visit  the  circus. 

By  that  time  Matt  had  set  the  carpenter  and  the 
glazier  to  work,  and  the  new  woodwork  and  the 
glass  were  in.  All  it  needed  was  a  couple  of  coats 
of  paint,  and  the  show  window  would  be  as  good  as 
new.  The  owner  of  the  building,  having  heard  of 
the  affair,  came  around  to  view  the  situation,  and 
expressed  himself  perfectly  satisfied  with  what  had 
been  done. 

"  And  I'm   glad  you  made  them  pay  up  on  the 
spot,"  he  said.     "  For  if    those  circus  people    had  ' 
been  allowed   to   leave   town  I  would  never  have 
gotten  a  cent." 

And  to  show  his  gratitude,  he  bought  a  razor  and 


THE  TOUNO  AUCTIONED.  115 

strop  for  himself,  and  a  pair  of  scissors  for  his 
wife. 

"There  will  not  be  much  doing  now  until  even- 
ing," said  Andy  to  Matt.  "So  we  will  have 
dinner  and  then  one  of  us  can  deliver  those  articles 
that  lady  bought." 

"  I'll  deliver  the  stuff,  Andy.  I  fancy  the  walk 
will  brace  me  up  more  than  anything  else  would." 

"  Well,  go  on  then,"  said  Andy,  and  so,  after  he 
had  had  dinner,  Matt  set  out  with  the  bundle  of 
goods  under  his  arm. 

The  way  to  the  lady's  house  led  past  the  circus, 
and  with  a  natural  curiosity  to  see  what  was  going 
on,  Matt  pushed  his  way  through  the  crowd  to 
where  a  number  of  banners  were  stretched  contain- 
ing vivid  pictures  of  the  many  wonderful  sights 
which  the  ticket  seller  said  could  be  seen  within. 

The  boy  was  much  interested  in  the  slick  way  of 
speaking  which  the  ticket  seller  had,  and  to  "  gain 
points,"  as  he  called  it,  for  the  auction  business,  he 
remained  almost  an  hour  listening  to  all  that  was  said. 

He  was  about  to  leave  the  crowd  when  a  well- 
dressed  man  who  was  standing  beside  him  pushed 
him  a  bit  to  one  side,  and  then  stooped  to  pick  some- 
thing from  the  ground  at  Matt's  feet. 

It  was  a  large  pocket-book,  and  apparently  well 
filled. 


116  THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEK  XYI. 


THE    CONFIDENCE    MAN. 


"  By  Jove  !  look  at  that !"  cried  the  man,  in  a  low 
tone,  as  he  picked  up  the  pocket-book  and  surveyed 
it.     u  That's  a  find,  isn't  it?" 

"  It  is,  indeed,"  returned  Matt.  "  How  much  is 
there  in  it  ?" 

"  Come  Avith  me  and  I'll  see,"  said  the  man,  and 
without  waiting  for  Matt  to  offer  a  reply,  he  caught 
the  boy  by  the  arm,  and  forced  him  through  the 
crowd  to  an  open  spot  behind  a  large  tree. 

"  I  would  like  to  know  who  lost  this,"  went  on 
the  man,  as  he  opened  the  flap  of  the  pocket-book, 
and  gazed  inside  at  the  contents.  "  By  Jove  !  look 
at  that  pile  of  bills !"  he  went  on,  as  he  turned  the 
pocket-book  around  so  that  Matt  might  catch  sight 
of  what  certainly  did  look  like  twenty -five  or  thirty 
bank  bills  tucked  away  in  one  of  the  pockets. 
"  Must  be  a  hundred  dollars  or  more  in  it." 

"  The  owner  of  that  pocket-book  will  miss  it," 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  117 

returned  Matt.  "  You  ought  to  make  an  effort  to 
find  him." 

"  Of  course  !  of  course  !"  assented  the  man  heart- 
ily. "  I  don't  want  to  keep  anybody's  money — not 
if  I  know  it  is  theirs.  Let  me  see  if  there  is  a  card 
in  it." 

He  turned  the  pocket-book  around  and  put  his 
fingers  first  in  one  pocket  and  then  another. 

"  Not  a  blessed  thing  but  that  pile  of  bills,"  he 
went  on.     "  Now,  isn't  that  strange  ?" 

Then  he  suddenly  drew  from  his  vest  pocket  a 
gold  watch  and  looked  at  it. 

"  Quarter  to  three  !"  he  exclaimed  in  a  startled 
tone.  "  And  I  must  catch  the  three  o'clock  train 
for  Baltimore !  I  haven't  time  to  look  up  the 
owner  of  this  pocket-book,  valuable  as  it  is." 

"  You  might  take  a  later  train,"  suggested 
Matt. 

The  man  shook  his  head. 

"  No,  I  have  an  engagement  in  Baltimore  immedi- 
ately upon  the  arrival  of  this  train  which  I  would 
not  miss  for  a  dozen  such  pocket-books." 

"  Then  you'll  have  to  take  the  money  with  you." 

"  I  wouldn't  feel  just  right  about  doing  that,"  re- 
turned the  man  with  a  bland  smile.  "  I  would  feel 
like  a  thief.  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do,"  he  went 
on   smoothly   and   earnestly.      "  Give   me   twenty 


118  THE  YOUNQ  AUGTIONEEB. 

dollars,  and  you  take  the  pocket-book.  Perhaps 
you  won't  be  able  to  find  an  owner,  and  then  the 
money  will  all  be  yours,  and  if  you  do  find  an  owner, 
he  will  certainly  offer  more  of  a  reward  than  twenty 
dollars." 

"  I  take  the  pocket-book  ?"  said  Matt,  considerably 
surprised  by  the  offer. 

w>  Yes  ;  I  really  can't  wait,  and  I  do  not  feel  satis- 
fied to  take  that  money  with  me." 

"But,  supposing  I  do  not  find  the  owner,  do  you 
not  want  part  of  the  money  ?" 

"  No  ;  you  can  keep  it  all." 

This  certainly  seemed  a  very  liberal  offer,  and 
had  Matt  had  less  experience  of  the  world  at  large, 
he  might  have  accepted  on  the  spot.  But  the  ap- 
parent open-heartedness  of  the  stranger  only  served 
to  make  him  more  cautious. 

"  Let  us  count  the  money  and  see  how  much  there 
is  in  the  pocket-book,"  he  remarked,  hardly  know- 
ing what  else  to  say. 

"  Xo,  I  haven't  time  to  do  that,"  said  the  stranger 
hastily.  "  As  it  is,  I  have  now  barely  ten  minutes 
in  which  to  get  to  the  depot.  If  you  want  to  accept 
my  offer,  give  me  the  twenty  dollars,  and  Til  run 
for  the  depot." 

And  the  man  moved  around  as  if  in  the  greatest 
hurrv  of  his  life, 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  119 

"I  haven't  twenty  dollars  with  me." 
"  Indeed !     I  thought  yon  looked  like  a  well-to-do 
young  man " 


"  I  have  twelve  dollars " 

k  Well— let  that  do,  but  be  quick !" 

And  the  stranger  held  out  his  hand  for  the 
amount. 

"  Never  mind,'1  remarked  Matt,  struck  with  an 
idea  which  he  resolved  to  carry  out  if  he  went  into 
the  scheme  at  all.  "  I'll  take  the  money  from  the 
pocket-book,  and  if  I  find  the  owner  I  will  tell  him 
how  I  came  to  do  it." 

"  No  ;  don't  you  touch  the  contents  of  the  pocket- 
book  !"  exclaimed  the  stranger,  hastily  snatching 
the  article  in  question  from  Matt's  hand.  "  That 
would  not  be  right !" 

"  Yes,  but  I  will  make  it  right  with  the  owner, 
if  I " 

"  I  can't  wait  any  longer  for  that  train  !"  cried 
the  stranger,  and  without  another  word  he  placed 
the  pocket-book  into  his  coat-pocket  and  disappeared 
into  the  crowd. 

For  the  instant  Matt  stared  after  him,  and  then  a 
light  burst  upon  the  boy's  mind. 

"  He  is  a  confidence  man  and  was  trying  to 
swindle  me  !"  he  murmured  to  himself.  "  If  that 
pocket-book  contained  much  it  was  a  single  dollar 


120  THE  TOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

bill  on  a  pile  of  green  paper  !     How  lucky  I  was  not 
to  jump  at  his  offer  when  he  first  made  it !" 

As  soon  as  he  had  reached  this  conclusion,  Matt 
made  after  the  man.  But  the  crowd  was  too  thick 
and  too  large  to  find  him,  and  after  a  quarter  of  an 
hour's  search  the  young  auctioneer  gave  it  up. 

It  wTas  now  getting  late,  and  as  soon  as  he  was 
satisfied  that  the  confidence  man  Avas  gone,  Matt 
hurried  along  on  his  errand. 

He  found  that  the  lady  who  had  purchased  the 
goods  had  just  reached  home.  She  had  heard  of  the 
brown  bear  episode,  and  insisted  upon  Matt  giving 
her  the  particulars,  which  he  did.  She  was  very 
much  interested  in  his  story,  and  after  she  had  heard 
how  the  affair  terminated  she  plied  him  with  ques- 
tions concerning  the  auction  business. 

"  You  may  think  me  very  curious,"  she  said  at 
length.  "  But  the  reason  I  ask  is  because  my  only 
son,  Tom  Inwold,  ran  away  with  a  traveling  auction- 
eer about  three  months  ago." 

"  Ran  away  ?"  repeated  Matt. 

"  Yes  ;  he  got  into  a  difficulty  in  school,  and  when 
I  insisted  that  he  apologize  to  his  teachers,  he  grew 
angry  and  left  the  house." 

"  How  old  was  he  ?" 

"  Tom  was  fifteen  last  May." 

"  He  was  very  young  to  oecome  an  auctioneer," 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  121 

smiled  Matt,  "  I  am  hardly  old  enough  for  the 
business." 

"  He  has  made  a  friend  of  this  auctioneer — who 
used  to  stand  up  in  a  wagon  and  sing  songs,  and 
then  sell  cheap  jewelry — and  he  went  off  with  him 
one  Saturday,  when  I  thought  he  had  gone  to  New 
York  with  his  uncle." 

"  And  doesn't  he  want  to  come  back  ?"  asked 
Matt,  deeply  interested. 

"  I  have  never  heard  of  him  since  he  went  away." 
Mrs.  Inwold  put  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes  to 
dry  the  tears  which  had  started.  "  One  reason  I 
wished  these  goods  delivered  was  because  I  thought 
I  might  get  a  chance  to  talk  to  you  about  Tom. 
You  intend  to  travel  from  place  to  place,  do  you 
not?" 

"  Yes,  madam ;  we  shall  remain  here  but  a  fe^ 
days." 

"  Then,  perhaps,  in  your  travels  you  may  run 
across  Tom.  If  you  do  I  wish  you  would  tell  him 
to  send  word  home.  He  ought  to  come  home  of 
himself,  but  I  suppose  he  won't  do  that,  he  is  so 
headstrong." 

"  I  should  think  he  would  prefer  a  good  home  to 
traveling  around  with  a  cheap  jewelry  man,"  was 
Matt's  comment,  as  he  looked  around  at  the  com- 


122  TBE  TOVm  AUCTIONEER. 

fortable  house  Mrs.  Inwold  occupied.  "  I  know  I 
would." 

"Boys  do  not  always  know  what  is  best  for 
them,"  sighed  the  lady.  "  Tom  generally  had  his 
own  way,  and  that  made  him  headstrong.  He  is 
my  only  son,  and  as  his  father  is  away  most  of  the 
time,  I  suppose  I  treated  him  more  indulgently  than 
was  good  for  him." 

"  You  have  no  idea  where  he  and  the  jewelry 
man  went  V 

"  Not  the  slightest.  I  notified  the  police  and 
sent  out  several  detectives,  but  could  learn  nothing. 
The  detectives  told  me  that  the  jewelry  man  was 
little  better  than  a  thief,  and  always  covered  his 
tracks  when  he  left  a  city,  so  that  his  victims  could 
not  trace  him  up." 

"That's  most  likely  true.  But  I  trust  you  do 
not  take  my  partner  and  me  for  such  fellows," 
added  Matt  honestly. 

"  Xo ;  you  look  like  a  young  gentleman,  and  the 
oilier  voung  man  was  one,  too,  I  feel  sure." 

"  We  try  to  do  tilings  on  the  square.  AVe  never 
willfully  misrepresent  what  we  sell — as  many  do." 

"  That  is  right,  and  if  you  keep  on  that  way  you 
will  be  bound  to  prosper.  No  one  ever  yet  gained 
much  by  resorting  to  trickery  in  trying  to  get 
along." 


Til K  YOVim  AUCTION EUli.  \%% 

Mrs.  Inwold  talked  to  Matt  for  quite  awhile  after 
this,  and  promised  to  come  down  to  the  store  and 
buy  several  other  articles  of  which  she  thought  she 
stood  in  need.  It  was  nearly  five  o'clock  when  the 
boy  left  the  mansion. 

"  A  very  nice  lady,"  thought  Matt,  as  he  hurried 
back  to  the  auction  store.  "  I  hope  I  meet  her  son 
Tom  some  day.  I'll  tell  him  how  she  feels  about 
his  going  away,  and  advise  him  to  return  home 
without  delay.  My  gracious!  you  wouldn't  catch 
me  leaving  a  home  like  that  in  order  to  put  up  with 
the  hardships  of  the  road  I" 


124  TRE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEK    XYII. 

THE    STORM. 

That  evening  Matt  and  Andy  were  kept  busy 
until  nearly  eleven  o'clock  selling  goods  to  people 
that  came  from  the  circus.  They  put  up  nearly 
every  kind  of  article  on  their  shelves,  and  only 
about  half  the  stock  remained  unsold  when  they 
finally  closed  and  locked  the  doors. 

"  That  circus  was  a  windfall  to  us !"  exclaimed 
Andy.  "  We  would  not  have  done  half  as  well  had 
it  not  been  in  town." 

"Maybe  it  would  be  a  good  idea  to  follow  up  the 
circus,"  suggested  Matt.  "  That  seems  to  draw  out 
the  people  more  than  anything  else  I  know  of." 

"  We  will  follow  the  circus  as  much  as  we  can, 
Matt.     But  there  is  one  thing  I  must  do  first." 

"And  what  is  that  ?" 

"  Take  the  first  train  back  to  New  York  in  the 
morning  and  buy  more  goods.  Some  of  our  best 
sellers  are  entirely  gone." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  125 

"  Then  go  by  all  means,"  returned  Matt  quickly. 

"  But  can  you  get  along  alone  ?" 

"  I  guess  so.  If  I  can't  I'll  lock  up  till  you  get 
back." 

"All  right,  then.  Now  let  us  go  over  the  stock 
and  I'll  make  out  a  list  of  what's  wanted." 

"  Let  us  figure  up  what  we  have  made,"  returned 
Matt  quickly,  for  he  was  anxious  to  know  what  the 
exact  amount  would  be. 

"  Yery  well ;  I  would  like  to  know  myself." 

On  a  sheet  of  paper  they  had  kept  a  record  of 
every  article  sold,  with  the  price.  Opposite  these, 
Andy,  who  was  more  familiar  with  their  cost  than 
Matt,  placed  the  amount  of  profit  on  each.  Then 
with  his  partner  leaning  over  his  shoulder,  he  added 
the  column  up. 

"Thirty-one  dollars  and  a  quarter!"  exclaimed 
Matt,  as  he  surveyed  the  result  of  Andy's  calcula- 
tions.    "  Did  we  really  make  as  much  as  that  ?" 

"  We  did.  Of  course  we  must  take  out  our  per- 
sonal expenses  and  Billy's  keep.  That  amounts  to 
four  dollars  and  a  quarter  nearly." 

"  That  still  leaves  twenty-seven  dollars  for  one 
day's  work.     At  this  rate  we'll  get  rich  fast." 

"  We  must  not  expect  such  luck  every  day,  Matt. 
Remember,  to-day  was  circus  day.  We  will  have 
rainy  days,  and   days   spent   in   traveling,  during 


126  THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER. 

which  we  will  not  take  in  anything,  while  our 
expenses  go  on  just  the  same." 

"  But  it's  a  otkxI  thino-  we  didn't  have  that  kind 
of  a  start,  Andy.  We  would  have  been  '  busted ' 
otherwise." 

"  You  are  right  there,"  returned  Andy. 

By  seven  o'clock  on  the  following  morning  he 
was  on  the  way  to  New  York,  leaving  Matt  to  open 
the  store  alone.  This  the  young  auctioneer  did, 
and  as  trade  was  very  quiet,  Matt  spent  the  time  in 
cleaning  up  such  goods  as  had  been'  handled,  and 
tidying  up  generally. 

Compared  with  the  da}7  before,  the  street  was 
almost  deserted,  but  during  the  noon  hour,  when 
people  were  going  to  and  coming  from  dinner,  Matt 
managed  to  start  up  a  sale  which  lasted  until  nearly 
two  o'clock,  and  by  which  he  disposed  of  over  three 
dollars'  worth  of  goods  at  a  good  profit. 

It  was  nearly  seven  o'clock  when  Andy  returned. 
He  had  rushed  matters  in  New  York,  but  had 
bought  several  bargains,  especially  one  in  imitation 
cut  glassware,  which,  when  it  arrived  the  next  day, 
made  a  pretty  showing  in  the  window. 

They  remained  in  Plainfield  two  days  longer,  and 
then  loaded  their  wagon  once  more  and  started  on 
the  road.  They  made  brief  stops  at  Bound  Brook 
and  Somerville,  doing  fairly  well  at  both  places, 


77//'/  VOUNO  AUCTIONEER.  l%f 

and  then,  just  ten  days  after  lea  vino- the  city,  struck 
Flemington. 

At  this  latter  place  they  again  came  across  Men- 
ville's  circus,  and  as  a  consequence  did  a  big  day's 
business.  They  intended  to  leave  Flemington  on 
the  day  following,  but  after  talking  the  matter  over 
decided  to  remain  until  the  following  Monday. 

"  On  Monday  morning  you  can  strike  across  the 
country  for  High  Bridge  alone,  if  you  will,"  said 
Andy.  "  I  can  take  another  trip  to  New  York,  and 
buy  more  goods  and  have  them  shipped  direct  to 
that  place,  or  else  on  to  Phillipsburg,  which  shall 
be  our  last  stopping  place  in  New  Jersey.'1 

To  this  Matt  agreed,  and  on  Saturday  night 
all  was  made  ready  for  an  early  morning  start  on 
Monday.  Sunday  was  a  quiet  day  for  both,  although 
they  attended  divine  services,  and  took  a  long  walk 
among  the  farms  outside  of  the  town  proper. 

"  By  creation !  but  it  looks  like  a  storm,"  ex- 
claimed Andy,  on  Monday  morning,  as  he  jumped 
out  of  bed  and  aroused  Matt. 

"  Well,  if  it  rains  we  will  have  to  make  the  most 
of  it,  I  suppose,"  returned  the  boy  philosophically 
'■  It's  a  pity  we  haven't  any  umbrellas  to  sell !" 

"  There !  I'll  put  them  on  the  list  at  once  !"  cried 
Andy,  with  a  laugh.  "  I  declare,  Matt,  you  are  get- 
ting to  be  more  of  a  business  man  every  day." 


128  THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER. 

"  If  I  am  it's  because  I  have  such  a  good  partner 
for  a  teacher,  Andy." 

"  Oh,  nonsense,"  returned  the  young  man,  but 
nevertheless  considerably  pleased  to  learn  that  Matt 
appreciated  his  efforts.  "  You  are  as  bright  as  any 
one  on  the  road." 

When  they  went  down  to  the  dining-room  of  the 
hotel  at  which  they  were  stopping  it  certainly  did 
look  like  rain.  Yet  there  was  a  brisk  breeze  blow- 
ing, and  several  expressed  themselves  as  certain  that 
it  would  pass  around  to  the  north  of  them. 

Less  than  half  an  hour  later  Andy  was  on  his  way 
to  the  depot  to  catch  a  train,  and  Matt  hurried  to 
the  stable  where  Billy  and  the  wagon  were. 

"  I'll  get  to  High.  Bridge  just  as  soon  as  I  can," 
he  said  to  himself.  "  I  have  no  desire  to  be  caught 
in  a  thunder-storm  on  a  strange  country  road." 

"  You  may  get  a  bit  wet,  but  that's  all,"  remarked 
the  stable-keeper,  as  lie  saw  the  boy  glance  at  the 
heavy  clouds  scurrying  across  the  sky.  "  That  there 
storm,  if  it  comes,  which  is  doubtful,  won't  last  half 
an  hour." 

With  this  reassurance,  if  such  it  could  be  called, 
Matt  saw  to  it  that  all  was  in  good  condition,  and 
sprang  upon  the  seat.  He  had  made  careful  in- 
quiries concerning  the  road,  so  that  he  might  not  go 
astray — a  thing   easy  to  do  in  most  parts  of  the 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  129 

country — and  in  a  short  space  of  time  he  was  out  of 
the  town  and  on  the  turnpike. 

Had  it  been  a  pleasant  day  the  boy  would  have 
enjoyed  that  drive  thoroughly,  for  it  was  through 
a  most  beautiful  section  of  the  country.  On  both 
sides  of  the  road  were  broad  fields,  dotted  here  and 
there  with  patches  of  woods  and  bushes.  Several 
brooks  were  also  crossed,  and  at  one  of  these  he 
stopped  for  a  few  minutes  to  watch  a  trio  of  boys 
fishing. 

But  then  the  sky  seemed  to  grow  darker  suddenly, 
and  somewhat  alarmed,  Matt  whipped  up  Billy. 
The  wind  died  out  utterly,  and  the  air  grew  close 
and  sultry. 

"  That  means  a  heavy  thunder-storm  and  nothing 
less,1'  thought  Matt.  "I  wish  I  was  near  the 
journey's  end  instead  of  only  about  half  through 
with  it." 

Presently  came  a  sudden  and  quite  unexpected 
rush  of  wind,  and  a  second  later  a  heavy  dash  of 
rain,  which  drove  almost  into  the  boy's  face. 

Matt  at  once  stopped  driving,  and  adjusted  the 
rubber  blanket  in  front  of  his  seat.  This  was  no 
easy  job,  for  the  wind  kept  increasing  in  violence. 
He  had  barely  completed  the  work  when  there  came 
a  crash  of  thunder,  and  then  the  rain  came  down 
harder  than  ever. 


130  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

"  I  wish  I  could  find  some  shelter,"  he  muttered 
to  himself.  "  I  would  willingly  pay  to  be  allowed 
to  drive  into  some  barn  until  this  was  over.  I  hope 
none  of  the  stock  gets  wet." 

Matt  tried  to  peer  about  him,  but  he  could  not 
see  far,  owing  to  the  sheets  of  rain  which  fell  all 
around. 

"  Well  have  to  stick  to  the  road  until  something 
comes  in  sight,  Billy,"  he  said,  addressing  the  shiver- 
ing horse.     "  Get  up  old  boy,  and  step  lively." 

Thus  addressed,  the  animal  started  on  once  more. 
But  the  rain  prevented  him  going  as  fast  as  before. 
The  ground  was  very  heavy,  and  the  road  in  spots 
was  covered  with  water  which  had  not  time  to  run 
off,  so  heavy  was  the  downpour. 

Presently  they  came  to  where  the  road  ran 
through  a  heavy  bit  of  timber.  Here  it  was  almost 
as  dark  as  night,  and  the  branches  of  the  trees, 
laden  with  water,  hung  down  so  low  that  many 
swept  the  wagon  as  the  turn-out  went  by. 

"  Ugh !  I  wish  we  were  out  of  this !"  muttered 
Matt,  as  he  tried  in  vain  to  pierce  the  gloom  ahead. 
"You  must  find  the  road,  Billy,  for  I  can't  see 
it ■" 

A  terrific  crash  of  thunder  drowned  out  the  last 
words.     Billy  sprang  forward  in  alarm,  and  away 


THE  TO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER.  \\\\ 

went  the  wagon  over  rocks  and  decaying  tree 
trunks. 

"  Whoa  !"  shouted  Matt.  "  Whoa,  Billy,  whoa ! 
You  have  left  the  road,  old  boy  !     Whoa  !" 

But  now  a  blinding  flash  of  lightning  lit  up  the 
scene,  and  then  came  another  crash  of  thunder,  even 
louder  than  before.  Billy  reared  up,  and  then  came 
down  with  a  leap.  On  the  instant  he  was  off,  like 
a  rocket,  over  bushes,  logs  and  rocks,  dragging  the 
swaying  and  creaking  wagon  after  him  ! 


132  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


For  the  time  being,  Matt,  on  the  seat  of  the 
heavily-laden  wagon,  felt  certain  that  the  entire 
turn-out  must  come  to  grief,  and  that  very  soon. 
Billy,  thoroughly  frightened  by  the  thunder  and 
lightning,  was  straining  every  nerve  to  make  his 
way  through  the  woods,  despite  brush,  stones,  and 
fallen  trees. 

Between  the  flashes  of  light  the  way  beneath  the 
trees  was  almost  totally  dark.  The  rain  swept  this 
way  and  that,  and  Matt,  standing  up  on  the  foot- 
rest,  was  soaked  to  the  skin. 

"  Whoa,  Billy,  old  boy  !  Whoa !"  he  called  again. 
"  You  are  all  right !" 

But  the  scared  horse  paid  no  attention  to  his  call. 
His  nerves  seemed  to  be  strained  to  their  utmost, 
and  on  he  plunged,  dragging  the  wagon  along  with 
bumps  and  jolts,  which  more  than  once  threatened 
to  land  the  young  auctioneer  out  on  his  head. 

Realizing  that  something  must  be  done  quickly  if 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER,  133 

he  would  save  the  wagon  from  becoming  a  total 
wreck,  Matt  resolved  upon  a  bold  move.  He  tied 
the  reins  to  the  dashboard,  and  then,  with  a  swift 
jump,  cast  himself  upon  Billy's  back. 

For  the  instant  the  horse,  worse  frightened  than 
before,  tore  along  over  the  uneven  surface  at  a 
greater  rate  of  speed  than  ever.  The  wagon  struck 
a  rock,  and  seemed  about  to  lurch  over  upon  its 
side.  But  it  righted,  and  seeing  this,  Matt  began  to 
talk  to  the  horse,  patting  him  in  the  meanwhile 
upon  the  neck  in  an  affectionate  way. 

This  show  of  kindness  soon  had  more  effect  upon 
Billy  than  anything  which  had  previously  been 
done.  The  animal  slackened  his  speed  gradually, 
and  then,  as  there  came  a  brief  lull  in  the  storm, 
stopped  short,  almost  winded,  but  still  inclined  to 
go  on  at  the  first  sign  of  further  danger. 

As  soon  as  Billy  had  come  to  a  halt  Matt  sprang 
to  the  ground.  A  tree  the  boy  had  feared  they 
would  collide  with  was  close  at  hand,  and  to  this  he 
tied  the  horse,  making  sure  that  the  halter  should 
be  well  secured ;  and  for  the  time  being,  the  danger 
of  being  wrecked  through  a  runaway  was  over. 

But  the  trouble  was  by  no  means  past.  The 
storm  still  kept  on,  the  lightning  being  as  vivid  as 
ever,  and  the  thunder  causing  Billy  to  tug  violently 
at  the  strap  which  held  him.     It  was  with  a  shiver 


134  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

that  Matt  wondered  what  the  consequence  would  be 
should  that  particular  tree  be  struck  by  lightning. 

To  prevent  Billy  doing  damage  to  the  wagon  by 
twisting  in  the  shafts  or  by  kicking.  Matt  unhar- 
nessed him  and  pushed  the  wagon  back  a  few  feet 
into  a  somewhat  open  space.  Here  the  rain  came 
down  heavier,  but  he  felt  safer  than  in  close  prox- 
imity to  the  tree. 

Feeling  that  nothing  was  to  be  done  until  the 
storm  should  abate,  Matt  climbed  into  the  wagon 
again  and  protected  himself  as  well  as  he  could 
with  the  rubber  blanket  and  the  lap-robe.  The 
back  shade  of  the  wagon  was  down,  and  he  was 
glad  to  see  that  so  far  the  stock  inside  had  sustained 
no  damage. 

A  half-hour  dragged  along  slowly,  Several  times 
the  storm  appeared  upon  the  point  of  clearing  away, 
but  each  time  the  clouds  settled  down  heavier  than 
before,  until  under  the  trees  it  was  as  black  as  mid- 
night. 

Matt  wondered  how  far  he  was  from  the  road, 
and  if  there  were  a  farmhouse  anywhere  at  hand. 

"  If  I  could  reach  a  house  of  some  sort  it  wouldn't 
be  so  bad,"  he  murmured  to  himself.  "  But  being- 
out  here  alone  isn't  any  fun,  that's  certain." 

At  last  the  clouds  seemed  to  scatter  for  good.  A 
fresh  breeze  stirred  the  trees  and  bushes,  and  ere 


Tlltt  YO  UNG  A  UCTIO  X  EEB.  \  \ , , 

long  the  rain  ceased,  although  the  drops  still  cvne 
down  from  the  heavily-laden  branches  overlie;,, I. 

As  soon  as  he  felt  certain  that  the  sky  was  bright- 
ening to  remain  so,  Matt  untied  Billy,  and  h;  messed 
him  to  the  wagon  once  more. 

"Now,  Billy,  we'll  get  back  to  the  road  just  as 
fast  as  Ave  can,"  he  said  to  the  horse.  "And  I  trust 
that  you  will  never  run  away  again  in  that  fashion, 
old  boy." 

On  all  sides  arose  hushes  and  rocks,  and,  although 
the  road  might  be  close  at  hand,  Matt  thought  it 
best  to  return  the  way  they  had  come.  lie  wished 
to  take  no  more  chances,  feeling  that  it  would  be 
the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  get  lost,  or  to  run 
the  turn-out  into  some  hollow  or  hole  from  which 
it  would  be  next  to  impossible  to  extricate  it. 

But  to  return  by  the  route  they  had  come  was 
itself  no  easy  task.  In  his  terror,  Billy  had  dragged 
the  heavy  vehicle  over  several  very  uneven  places, 
full  of  stumps  and  rocks,  and  now  the  animal,  still 
somewhat  exhausted,  had  all  he  could  do  to  move 
back  over  the  trail  which  had  been  left. 

Matt  led  the  horse,  and  on  more  than  one  occa- 
sion had  to  place  his  shoulder  to  the  rear  end  of  the 
wagon  to  help  over  a  particularly  bad  spot.  Thus 
they  moved  on,  taking  half  an  hour  to  cover  a  dis- 


136  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

tance  which  had  previously  been  traveled  in   less 
than  half  that  time. 

"  Thank  goodness,  we  are  out  of  that  at  last !" 
exclaimed  Matt,  as  the  road  finally  appeared  in 
sight.    "  Now  to  see  if  any  damage  has  been  done." 

The  young  auctioneer  made  a  minute  examination 
of  every  bolt  and  spring,  as  well  as  of  the  running 
gear  and  harness.  He  was  overjoyed  to  find  every- 
thing still  in  good  order,  despite  the  rough  usage  to 
which  it  had  been  put.  The  wagon  body  was 
scratched  in  a  dozen  places,  but  this  could  be  easily 
remedied. 

The  rubber  blankets  were  put  away,  and  the  lap- 
robe  left  fluttering  in  the  rear  to  dry,  and  then 
Matt  once  more  resumed  his  lonely  journey  in  the 
direction  of  High  Bridge. 

The  heavy  rain  had  left  the  road  deep  with  mud, 
and  through  this  Billy  plodded  slowly  along,  Matt 
not  having  the  heart  to  urge  him  to  a  greater  speed, 
knowing  well  that  the  faithful  animal  was  doing  as 
well  as  could  be  reasonably  expected  of  him. 

"As  soon  as  we  reach  High  Bridge  I  must  find  a 
good  stable  for  Billy,  and  change  my  clothes," 
thought  Matt.  "And  something  hot  to  drink  won't 
go  bad,  either.  Ugh!  I  am  chilled  clear  to  the 
bone !" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  137 

And  he  gave  a  shiver  that  was  as  genuine  as  it 
was  uncomfortable. 

The  road  now  led  downward  and  around  a  bend, 
where  was  situated  another  heavy  bit  of  timber. 
As  Matt  approached  the  wood  he  saw  some  distance 
back  from  the  road  a  shanty  built  of  rough  logs 
and  boards,  and  thatched  with  weather-beaten 
shingles  and  bits  of  old  tin  and  oil-cloth.  There 
was  a  rude  chimney  upon  the  outside  of  the  rear  of 
this  shanty,  and  from  this  a  thin  cloud  of  smoke 
was  issuing. 

"  Humph !  here  is  somebody's  home,  but  a  very 
poor  one,"  thought  Matt.  "  I  shouldn't  wonder  but 
those  inside  got  a  pretty  good  soaking,  by  the  looks 
of  things." 

At  first  the  young  auctioneer  determined  to  stop, 
but  upon  second  thought,  he  concluded  to  go  on, 
satisfied  that  no  accommodations  worthy  of  the 
name  could  be  had  there. 

"If  I  can't  strike  something  better,  I'll  keep 
right  on  to  High  Bridge,"  was  his  thought,  and  he 
was  just  about  to  urge  Billy  on  once  more,  when 
the  door  of  the  shanty  opened  and  a  man  came  out. 

The  man  was  apparently  fifty  years  of  age,  and 
rough  in  looks.  His  beard  was  long,  as  was  also 
his  hair,  and  both  seemed  to  be  much  in  need  of 
shears  and  brush.     His  clothing  and  his  face  were 


138  TIIE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

dirty,  and  altogether  he  presented  a  decidedly  ill- 
favored  appearance. 

"  Hullo,  there,  stranger  I"  he  called  out.    "  Where 
bound  ?" 

"Bound  for  High  Bridge,"  replied  Matt  as  he 
drew  rein.     "  How  many  miles  is  it  ?" 

"Not  many,"  was  the  rather  indefinite  reply. 
"  Suppose  you  got  cotched  in  that  storm,  eh?" 

"  Yes,  I  got  the  full  benefit  of  it." 

"It  was  a  heavy  one,  no  mistake  about  that. 
What  sort  of  a  turn-out  have  you  got  there  2" 

"An  auction  goods  wagon." 

"  Carrying  stuff  around  the  country  to  sell  at 
auction  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"I  see.  Say,  maybe  you've  got  something  you 
would  like  to  sell  me,"  and  the  man,  after  speaking 
to  some  one  in  the  shanty,  stepped  up  closer  to  the 
turn-out. 

"  Peril aps  I  have,  but  it's  pretty  well  packed  up," 
returned  Matt,  who  was  not  at  all  taken  by  the 
man's  manner.  "  We'll  be  open  at  High  Bridge  this 
evening,  or  to-morrow,  if  nothing  happens." 

"We?     Got  somebody  else  with  you?" 

"  Not  on  the  wagon,  but  I  have  a  partner." 

"  I  see.     What  line  of  goods  do  you  carry  ?" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  139 

Matt  named  over  a  number  of  articles.  The  man's 
eyes  brightened  as  he  listened. 

"  Let  me  have  a  pair  of  suspenders,"  he  said.  "  I 
need  them  worst  way.  And  if  you've  got  a  good 
pocket-knife  I'll  patronize  you  so  much  more.  Drive 
up  in  the  back  of  the  house  and  tie  fast  anywhere." 

"  Excuse  me,  but  I  would  prefer  getting  to  High 
Bridge.  I  am  wet  to  the  skin,  and  I  want  to  change 
my  clothes." 

"  That's  all  right,  young  fellow.  "We've  got  a  fire 
inside,  and  you  can  dry  yourself  there  just  as  well 
as  not." 

"  But  my  horse -" 

"  I'll  take  care  of  the  horse.  I've  got  a  shed  a 
bit  back  of  those  bushes.  Come  on  in ;  what  are 
you  afraid  of  ?" 

Thus  urged,  Matt  sprang  from  the  w^agon  seat  to 
the  ground.  As  he  did  so  he  noted  a  look  of  satis- 
faction gleam  upon  the  man's  dirty  face,  and  he  saw 
the  fellowT  wave  his  hand  toward  the  shanty's  one 
window.  He  turned  swiftly  in  the  direction,  and 
was  in  time  to  see  twTo  equally  repulsive  heads  dodge 
aside  out  of  sight. 

Only  for  a  second  did  the  young  auctioneer  hesi- 
tate. Then  something  warned  him  to  beware  of 
danger,  and  he  turned  again  to  the  wagon  and  placed 
one  foot  upon  the  shaft  step. 


140  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Hi !  what  are  you  going  to  do  ?"  cried  the  man, 
in  surprise. 

"  I  guess  I  won't  stop,"  returned  the  boy.  "  That 
storm  does  not  seem  to  be  quite  over,  and  I  do  not 
wish  to  catch  a  second  dose." 

"But  you  will  stop,  sonny  !"  exclaimed  the  man, 
with  a  sudden  change  of  manner.  "  Hi,  Jake ! 
Baldy !  Come  out  here  and  help  me  manage  this 
young  fellow !"  he  went  on,  in  a  louder  tone. 

The  other  men  at  once  rushed  from  the  shanty, 
and  in  a  trice  Matt  was  surrounded. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  141 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


OUT    OF    A    BAD    SCKAPE. 


It  did  not  take  the  young  auctioneer  long  to  un- 
derstand the  true  nature  of  the  situation  in  which 
lie  now  found  himself.  The  three  men  who  had 
surrounded  him  were  nothing  more  or  less  than 
tramps  who  had  undoubtedly  sought  shelter  in  the 
shanty  from  the  storm.  That  they  were  thoroughly 
unscrupulous  men  went  without  saying,  and  it  must 
be  confessed  that  Matt's  heart  sank  within  him  as 
he  realized  the  danger  in  which  he  was  placed. 

"  Let  go  of  me!"  he  said  sternly  to  the  first  man, 
who  had  presumed  to  catch  him  by  the  arm.  "  Let 
go,  I  say !" 

"  Don't  you  do  it,  Crabs  !"  put  in  the  tramp  called 
Jake.     "  Hold  tight  to  him  while  I  tie  up  the  hoss." 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do  ?"  demanded  Matt,  as 
he  struggled  to  free  himself,  but  in  vain. 

"  You'll  learn  fast  enough,  sonny,"  returned  Crabs, 
with  a  wicked  grin.  "Just  keep  quiet  now,  will 
you  ?" 


L42  THE  TOtJtfG  AUCTIONEER 

"  I  certainly  shall  not  !"  retorted  the  young  auc- 
tioneer hotly.  "  Do  you  suppose  I  am  going-  to 
submit  tamely  to  being  robbed  ?" 

"  Who  said  anything  about  robbin'  you  ?"  de- 
manded the  third  tramp,  he  called  Baldy,  although 
his  head  was  covered  with  a  shock  of  hair  twice  as 
thick  as  either  of  his  companions.  "  You  had  better 
act  civil-like,  sonny,  if  you  want  to  get  off  without 
a  licking." 

"  You  let  me  go !"  went  on  Matt,  paying  no  atten- 
tion to  the  last  remark.  "Let  go,  I  say — or  take 
the  consequences !" 

"  The  consequences  ?"  sneered  him  called  Crabs. 

"  Yes— there  !" 

And  without  further  warning,  Matt  drew  back 
with  his  clinched  fist  and  gave  the  tramp  a  stinging 
blow  between  the  eyes,  which  caused  the  much  sur- 
prised individual  to  let  go  his  hold  and  stagger  back 
to  the  shanty's  side. 

"  Ho — what — what  do  you  mean  by  hitting  me  V 
he  howled. 

"  I  told  you  to  let  go,"  retorted  Matt ;  and  free 
from  his  tormentor,  he  essayed  to  leap  to  the  wagon 
seat  and  gain  possession  of  the  heavy  whip,  with 
which  he  might  keep  the  tramps  at  bay. 

But  hardly  had  he  placed  'his  foot  on  the  rest  than 
Baldy,  who  was  now  close  at  hand,  caught  him  by 


TIIH   TOVNQ  ArCTlOSEFAl.  143 

the  ankle  and  gave  a  sudden  jerk,  which  brought 
Matt  down  on  his  chest  and  face,  scratching  his  Left 

cheek  in  two  places,  and  giving  him  a  severe  shaking 
up. 

"  Hold  the  horse,  Jake!" cried  Baldy.  "  Hold  the 
horse,  and  I'll  hold  the  boy." 

"Let  me  get  at  him!"  cried  Crabs,  in  a  rage. 
"Just  let  me  get  at  him,  and  I'll  teach  him  to  strike 
me  between  the  eyes!" 

As  he  spoke  he  rushed  past  his  companion,  and 
was  on  the  point  of  kicking  Matt  in  the  side  when 
Baldy  stopped  him  with  a  side  dig  of  his  ragged 
elbow. 

"  Don't  strike  him  if  it  ain't  necessary,"  he  said. 
"  HI  hold  him  all  right  enough.  Come,  be  still 
now,"  he  went  on  to  the  young  auctioneer. 

Matt  was  on  his  face  on  the  ground  and  Baldy 
was  sitting  on  top  of  him,  but,  nevertheless,  the  bo) 
did  not  intend  to  give  up  the  struggle. 

lie  squirmed  and  twisted  this  way  and  that  until 
finally  free,  and  then,  before  the  tramp  could  catch 
hini  again,  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  leaped  upon 
the  foot-rest  of  the  wagon. 

"  Stand  back  there,  all  of  \Tou !"  he  cried  deter- 
minedly, and  the  next  instant  had  the  whip  and  was 
nourishing  it  over  the  heads  of  those  below  him. 

"  See  that !   he's  got  away  from  you  !"  cried  Crabs 


144  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

to  Baldy,  in  tones  of  deep  disgust.  "  Now  don't 
you  wish  you  had  let  me  tend  to  him  ?" 

"  Stick  to  the  horse,  Jake !"  cried  Baldy,  ignoring 
the  last  remark.  "  I'll  soon  have  the  young  fellow 
on  the  ground  again." 

"  Let  go  of  that  horse  !"  commanded  Matt.  "  Let 
go,  or  I'll  lash  you  right  and  left !" 

The  tramp  called  Jake  looked  up  into  the  young 
auctioneer's  face  at  these  words.  Evidently  he  did 
not  like  the  looks  of  the  set  lines  about  Matt's 
mouth,  for  without  delay  he  obeyed  the  order,  and 
stepped  back.  Lie  had  hardly  done  so  before  Matt 
struck  Billy  a  light  blow,  and  off  went  the  horse  at 
quite  a  respectable  gait,  leaving  the  three  would-be 
plunderers  standing  staring  after  the  turn-out  in 
wonder  and  disgust ! 

"  Phew  !  but  that  was  a  narrow  escape  !"  gasped 
Matt,  to  himself,  as  he  caught  up  the  lines  and  gave 
Billy  another  tap.  "  I  suppose  I  ought  to  be  thank- 
ful that  I  was  not  robbed  of  everything  in  my 
keeping.  Those  fellows  looked  wicked  enough  to 
do  almost  anything." 

After  he  had  gone  on  some  little  distance  he 
leaned  out  of  the  wagon  to  see  if  he  was  being  pur- 
sued. But  the  tramps  had  deemed  it  unwise  to 
follow  him,  and  once  more  the  young  auctioneer 
had  the  road  to  himself. 


THE  TO  UNO  A  UCTIONEEli.  ^  4  , 

It  was  not  long  before  tho  houses  of  High  Bridge 
appeared  in  sight.  At  the  first  place  the  young 
auctioneer  asked  for  directions  to  the  hotel,  and 
here  he  had  the  wagon  and  horse  safely  stabled, 
and  then  went  to  the  room  which  had  been  as- 
signed to  him  to  change  every  article  of  clothing 
he  wore. 

lie  had  ordered  a  hot  meal  to  be  served,  and 
when  he  came  down  he  found  the  table  spread  for 
him. 

"  Got  caught  in  the  shower,  eh?"  questioned  the 
hotel-keeper,  as  Matt  sat  down. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  returned  the  boy,  and  he  related 
the  particulars  of  his  adventures  while  eating,  not 
forgetting  to  mention  the  three  tramps. 

"  Those  three  rascals  have  been  bothering  folks 
around  here  for  quite  a  bit,"  remarked  the  hotel- 
keeper  after  he  had  finished.  "  The  constable  is 
after  'em  now,  but  I  don't  think  he'll  catch  'em,  for 
they  slide  around  from  place  to  place.  You  can  bet 
on  it  that  they  are  miles  away  from  that  shanty  by 
this  time." 

"  Well,  I  trust  that  I  never  fall  in  with  them 
again,"  returned  Matt  with  a  slight  shudder. 

"  Going  to  hold  an  auction  ?"  went  on  the  hotel- 
keeper  curiously. 

"  That's  what  I  expect  to  do.     I  would  like  to  find 


146  THE  TV  UXG  A  i  '<  1rtJX)NBBB 

some  good  spot.  Where  would  be  the  best  place 
for  me  to  locate,  do  you  think  ?" 

The  hotel-keeper  thought  for  a  moment. 

"  Well,  most  of  the  folks  come  around  here  and 
over  across  the  way  to  the  general  Stores.  But 
I  reckon  the  store-keepers  won't  like  you  around 
much." 

"  They  never  do — but  I  can't  help  that.  I've  got 
to  make  a  living  as  well  as  they." 

w-  That's  true.  Tell  you  what  you  might  do. 
There's  the  old  paint-shop  ileXt  door.  You  can  use 
that  for  an  auction  place  if  you  are  a  mind  to  be 
liberal  for  the  use  of  it,"  said  the  hotel-keeper. 

As  soon  as  he  had  finished  Matt  went  out  and  in- 
spected the  old  paint-shop.  He  found  it  would  do 
very  Well  for  his  purpose,  and  on  returning  offered 
the  hotel-keeper  a  good  pocket-knife  for  its  use  for 
the  following  day.  This  offer  was  at  once  accepted, 
and  Matt  set  to  work  without  delay  to  get  the  place 
into  shape. 

By  nightfall  he  was  ready  for  business.  In  the 
meantime,  he  had  sent  a  couple  of  small  boys 
around  to  all  the  houses  in  the  neighborhood  to 
notify  the  folks  of  the  sale,  and  as  a  consequence, 
by  eight  o'clock  he  had  the  shop  quite  comfortably 
filled. 

Without  waiting  to  see  if  Andy  might  return  on 


/  TOUtfG  AXTOTIONEER.  147 

:  he  [ate  evening  train,  Matt  started  up  business,  and 
inside  of  half  an  hour  had  matters  in  full  swing. 
He  opened  up  with  a  lot  of  goods  which  the  folks 
appeared  to  need^  and  they  sold  readily,  much  to  the 
disgust  of  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  regular  stores, 
who  came  over  to  see  what  was  going  on. 

u  Humph !  it's  only  a  hoy !"  he  muttered,  hut 
loud  enough  for  all  to  hear.  "  What  does  he  know 
about  the  goods  he  is  selling?  Like  as  not  they  are 
second-handed,  and  all  shop- worn." 

"  These  goods  are  strictly  new,  and  of  the  latest 
designs,"  called  out  Matt,  looking  squarely  at  the 
man.  "  They  are  direct  from  New  York,  and  I 
venture  to  say  cannot  be  duplicated  in  High  Bridge 
at  the  price  at  which  I  am  knocking  them  down  for. 
Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  what  am  I  offered  for 
this  elegant  family  album,  bound  in  plush,  with 
sliver-plated  clasps  ?" 

"  One  dollar  !"  called  a  rustic,  standing  close  at 
hand. 

"  A  dollar  and  a  quarter!"  shouted  a  farmer  near 
the  door. 

"  See  here,  Fodders,  you  ought  to  buy  your 
things  of  me,"  whispered  the  keeper  of  the  general 
store  to  the  latter  bidder.  a  I  trust  you  till  the 
money  for  crops  comes  in." 


148  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  So  you  do — and  I  pay  you  for  the  accommodation, 
too,"  retorted  the  farmer. 

"  I  can  sell  you  an  album  for  half  the  money  he'll 
charge  you.-' 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  returned  the  farmer, 
with  a  shake  of  his  head. 

"  Yes,  I  can.    Come  on  over  to  the  store  and  see." 

"  I  want  to  watch  this  sale  first." 

By  this  time  another  person  had  offered  a  dollar 
and  a  half  for  the  album,  and  Matt  was  hard  at 
work  trying  to  get  a  raise  on  this  figure.  But  he 
overheard  the  store-keeper's  words,  and  his  face 
flushed  with  indignation.  He  stopped  short,  and 
pointed  directly  at  the  man. 

"  "Will  you  please  come  forward  a  moment  ?"  he 
asked,  in  a  loud  and  clear  tone. 

"What — what's  that?"  stammered  the  store- 
keeper, taken  by  surprise. 

"  I  asked  you  if  you  would  please  come  forward." 

"What  for?" 

"  I  wish  to  ask  you  what  right  you  have  to  come 
in  here  and  endeavor  to  take  away  my  possible 
customers  ?" 

"  Why,  you — I  ain't  taken  an}T  one  away." 

"  But  you  were  just  trying  to  induce  that  man  to 
leave — told  him  you  could  sell  him  an  album  for 
half  the  money  I  would  charge." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  149 

"  What  if  I  did— I  can,  too." 

"  I  doubt  it.  If  you  could,  folks  would  not  flock 
to  such  an  auction-sale  as  this.  They  come  here 
because  they  can  get  things  cheap — because  they 
are  not  overcharged,  as  they  are  in  some  places — be- 
cause they  are  told  the  truth  about  goods — because 
they  like  to  see  a  boy  get  along  in  spite  of  what 
some  mean  man  may  do  to  take  away  his  business 
— because  they " 

But  Matt  could  go  no  further.  His  unexpected 
speech  brought  forth  a  sudden  applause  that  for  the 
moment  drowned  out  every  other  sound. 


150  Tilt:  YOJJNQ  ALCl'KJXh'h'Ii. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


ACCUSED    OF    STEALING. 


It  was  plain  to  soe  that  the  store-keeper  who  had 
thus  thrust  himself  into  the  young  auctioneer's  busi- 
ness was  not  in  high  favor  with  the  residents  of  the 
country  town.  To  tell  the  truth,  the  man  was  not 
liked  by  any  one,  and  was  only  patronized  by  force 
of  circumstances  or  through  long-standing  habit. 
He  was  a  thoroughly  mean  man,  and  the  fact  that 
his  trade  had  been  falling  off  steadily  for  several 
years  had  not  tended  to  sweeten  his  temper. 

"  Thet5s  one  on  Ike  Marvelling,  sure !"  laughed  a 
young  man  near  the  auction  stand. 

"  Yes,  an'  Ike  deserves  it,"  returned  a  woman 
beside  him.  "  He  has  no  right  to  come  in  here  and 
abuse  the  boy." 

"  That's  so,  he  ain't,"  added  another  woman. 

"  Ike  was  always  high-priced  in  everything,"  re 
marked  a  jolly -faced  farmer.  "If  he  had  Pickle 
Mountain  to  sell  he  would  want  double  price  for  it." 


THE  YQUWGf  AUCTIONEER.  [r>l 

This  bit  of  humor  caused  a  laugh  at  the  store- 
keeper's expense,  and  put  him  in  even  worse  humor 
than  had  Matt's  caustic  remarks. 

"  See  here,  I  didn't  come  in  here  to  be  abused  I'1 
he  cried,  addressing  the  young  auctioneer  in  a  bull  v 
ing  tone. 

"You  were  not  asked  in  here  at  all,  to  my  know! 
edge,"  returned  Matt.  "  And  you  should  have  re- 
mained away  unless  you  intended  to  do  the  right 
thing." 

"  See  here,  boy,  what  do  you  mean  ?" 

"What  would  you  think  of  me  if  I  came  over  to 
your  store  and  told  your  customers  that  I  could  sell 
them  goods  cheaper  than  you  could  ?  T  rather 
guess  you  would  be  for  running  me  out — and  mighty 
lively,  too  !" 

"  That  he  would  !"  laughed  several.  "  He  wouldn't 
give  you  time  to  open  your  mouth." 

"  I  came  in  here  because  I  know  all  these  auction 
sales— they  ain't  really  auctions  at  all — are  frauds  !" 
blustered  Isaac  Marvelling,  finding  it  hard  to  say 
anything  in  the  face  of  so  much  opposition.  "  These 
chaps  oughten  to  be  allowed  to  sell  a  thing — they 
swindle  folks  so,  and  if  I  had  my  way,  the  constable 
would " 

"  Stop  right  there  !"  interrupted  Matt,  his  eyes 
Hashing.     "When     you    insinuate    that    I    am    a 


152  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

swindler,  you  go  too  far.  You  must  take  back  those 
words !" 

"  Must  I  V  sneered  the  store-keeper.  "  Well,  I 
reckon  not." 

"  Yery  well,  then."  Matt  turned  to  several  men 
standing  by  the  door.  "  Will  one  of  you  gentlemen 
kindly  call  in  the  constable  or  some  other  officer  ?" 

"  What — what  do  }Tou  mean  ?"  asked  Isaac 
Marvelling  in  a  lower  tone,  and  much  disturbed. 

"  I  mean  to  have  you  put  out  as  a  disorderly 
character,  that's  what  I  mean,"  returned  Matt 
firmty.  "  I  have  paid  my  license,  and  so  long  as  I 
do  business  on  the  square  I  do  not  intend  to  allow 
any  one  to  bulldoze  me  or  call  me  a  swindler." 

"  That's  right !  That's  right !"  cried  several  men 
in  the  crowd,  and  the  woman  who  had  first  spoken 
nodded  approvingly. 

"  You're  a  mighty  big  bo}r !"  sneered  the  store- 
keeper, but  all  noticed  that  he  retreated  several 
steps  toward  the  open  doorway. 

"  I  am  big  enough  to  defend  myself,"  replied  the 
young  auctioneer  quickly.  "  I  want  you  to  leave. 
I  am  no  more  of  a  swindler  than  }^ou  are— perhaps 
not  as  much.  I  am  conducting  this  business  on  an 
honest  basis,  and  I  will  not  stand  by  and  let  you  or 
any  one  else  blacken  my  character." 

"  We'll  see — we'll  see,"   muttered  Isaac  Marvel- 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  153 

ling,  and  greatly  enraged,  but  unable  to  say  a  word 
in  his  own  defense,  and  fearful  that  an  officer  might 
appear,  he  withdrew. 

This  little  incident  served  to  make  Matt  manj 
friends.  People  always  like  to  see  persons  stick  up 
for  their  rights,  and  in  this  particular  case  they  were 
pleased  to  see  the  mean  store-keeper  "  talked-down," 
as  he  well  deserved  to  be. 

The  album  was  again  put  up,  and  after  consider 
able  talking  was  knocked  down  to  Podders,  the 
very  individual  Isaac  Marvelling  had  endeavored  to 
persuade  away  from  the  sale.  Matt  purposely  let 
Podders  have  the  album  quite  cheaply,  and  as  soon 
as  it  was  his  Podders  declared  he  would  call  at 
Marvelling's  store  and  see  if  it  could  be  duplicated 
at  the  price  he  had  paid. 

The  young  auctioneer  knew  this  could  not  be 
done,  and  he  offered  to  bay  the  album  back  at 
double  the  price  should  Podders  succeed. 

This  pleased  the  farmer,  and  also  many  others, 
and,  as  a  consequence,  Matt  had  a  brisk  run  of  luck 
until  closing-up  time.  The  boy  felt  highly  elated, 
especially  when,  on  counting  up  the  cash,  he  found 
he  had  taken  in  sixteen  dollars,  one  third  of  which 
was  profit. 

On  the  following  morning  another  heavy  rain 
came  up,  and  Matt  found  it  of  no  advantage  to  open 


i;,4  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

up  for  business.  Shortly  after  dinner  Andy  came 
back  from  New  York,  and  to  liim  Matt  related  all 
that  had  occurred. 

"  That's  right,  Matt,  always  stick  up  when  you  are 
in  the  right,  and  you'll  come  out  on  top,"  said  the 
senior  partner  of  the  firm. 

Andy  had  struck  several  decided  bargains  in 
goods  in  the  metropolis,  and  had  invested  every 
dollar  of  available  cash.  He  had  had  all  of  the 
goods  shipped  to  Phillipsburg,  the  next  stopping 
place,  and  said  they  wOuld  most  likely  find  them  ;it 
the  freight  depot  upon  their  arrival  there. 

During  the  afternoon  it  cleared  up,  and  people 
began  to  drift  into  the  shop.  Andy  opened  up  the 
sale,  and  by  evening  both  of  the  partners  were  quite 
busy.  When  he  went  to  supper  Matt  saw  Isaac 
Marvelling,  but  the  storedteeper  only  favored  bin? 
with  a  deep  scowl. 

"  I  suppose  he  would  like  to  chew  my  head  off  if 
he  dared,"  laughed  the  young  auctioneer,  as  he 
related  the  occurrence  to  Andy. 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  Matt.  He  feels  sore,  especially 
as  we  are  selling  just  such  goods  as  lie  has  displayed 
in  his  window,  and  at  about  half  the  price." 

"Well,  we  won't  worry  him  after  tonight," 
smiled  Matt,  for  the  start  for  Phillipsburg  was  to  be 
made  on  the  following  morning. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  l;,;, 

After  closing  up  the  sale  that  night,  the  wagon 

was  once  more  packed,  so  that  they  might  be  on 
the  way  at  an  early  hour.  The  stock  on  hand  was 
growing  lighter,  and  they  were  glad  to  know  that 
more  goods  would  await  them  upon  their  arrival 

"  We  are  doing  famously,"  remarked  Andy.  "If 
we  keep  on  we  shall  soon  be  rich." 

"I  want  to  pay  back  Miss  Bartlett  what  she 
loaned  me  as  soon  as  I  can." 

"  I  reckon  she  is  in  no  hurry.  You  had  better 
keep  some  cash  on  hand  in  case  of  an  emergency." 

The  work  of  selling  goods  and  packing  the  wagon 
had  tired  Matt  considerably,  but  his  mind  was  Coo 
much  aroused  to  go  to  sleep  at  once,  and  so  he 
started  out  for  a  short  walk  before  retiring. 

lie  knew  very  little  of  the  roads  around  the 
village,  but  he  was  confident  that  he  would  not  get 
lost,  especially  as  it  was  a  bright  starlight  night. 

He  passed  the  shop  where  the  sales  had  been 
conducted,  and  then  branched  off  on  a  road  that,  but 
a  short  distance  away  crossed  a  tiny  brook. 

At  the  brook  he  paused,  and  then,  struck  with  a 
sudden  fancy,  he  left  the  bridge  to  go  down  and 
bathe  his  hands  and  face  in  the  cool,  running  water. 

lie  had  hardly  leaped  from  the  bridge  to  the 
rocks  below  when  a  sudden  noise  beside  him  caused 
him  to  start  back.     Almost  at  the  same  time  a  dark 


156  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

form  passed  under  the  bridge  and  was  lost  to  view 
in  the  bashes  beyond.  It  looked  somewhat  like  the 
form  of  a  man,  but  Matt  was  not  sure. 

"  That  was  queer,"  thought  the  young  auctioneer, 
as  he  paused,  in  perplexity.  "  Was  that  a  man,  or 
only  some  animal  ?" 

Disturbed  at  the  occurrence,  Matt  leaped  up  upon 
the  bridge  again,  without  having  touched  the  water. 
He  had  hardly  come  up  into  the  starlight  when  two 
men  came  rushing  toward  him  from  the  road. 

"  Who's  that  ?"  cried  one  of  the  men. 

"  That  must  be  the  man  !"  cried  the  other,  and 
Matt  recognized  Isaac  Marvelling's  voice.  "  Catch 
hold  of  him,  Jackson." 

In  another  moment  the  two  men  stood  beside 
Matt.  As  he  recognized  the  young  auctioneer, 
Isaac  Marvelling  set  up  a  cry  of  surprise  and 
triumph. 

"  I  told  you  so !"  he  declared.  "  I  said  them 
auction  fellows  weren't  no  better  than  thieves ! 
This  is  the  chap  that  broke  in  my  store,  Jackson,  I 
feel  sure  of  it !  I  want  him  arrested,  and  you  had 
better  handcuff  him  so  that  he  can't  get  away  from 
you !  No  wonder  they  can  sell  cheap,  when  they 
steal  their  goods !" 


THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER.  15 


CHAPTEE    XXI. 


THE      TELL-TALE      CAP 


For  the  moment  Matt  could  do  little  more  tnan 
stare  at  the  two  men  that  confronted  him.  In  a 
dim  way  he  realized  that  Isaac  Marvelling's  store 
had  been  entered  and  robbed,  and  that  the  mean- 
minded  store-keeper  fully  believed  that  he  was  the 
guilty  party. 

"Are  you  a-holding  him,  Jackson  ?"  went  on  Isaac 
Marvelling  anxiously.  "  Look  out,  or  he  may  slip 
away  from  you." 

"  I've  got  him,  right  enough,"  returned  Jackson, 
one  of  the  local  constables.  "  He'll  have  hard  work 
to  get  away." 

u  What  does  this  mean  V  demanded  the  young 
auctioneer,  aroused  at  last  to  the  necessity  of  doing 
something  in  his  own  behalf.     "  Let  go  of  me  !" 

"  Oh.  no,  not  just  yet !"  returned  Jackson. 
"  You're  wanted,  and  you  know  it." 

"  That's  right,  Jackson,  don't  let  him  slip  you !" 
put  in  Marvelling  eagerly.  "  He's  a  good  talker, 
but  don't  let  that  count  with  you." 


1 58  THE  70 ( rNG  Al VTiOtf/SER 

"  Will  you  tell  me  what  I  am  wanted  for?"  asked 
Matt, 

"  For  entering  his  store  and  stealing  a  lot  of  cut- 
lery and  jewelry,"  returned  the  constable. 

"Forty-five  dollars'  worth,"  added  Marvelling. 
"And  all  new  stock,  too!  Oh,  you  thought  you 
would  get  away  with  it  mighty  smart-like,  didn't 
you  2"  he  sneered. 

"  I  haven't  been  near  your  store,  and  I  know 
nothing  about  the  theft,"  was  Matt's  steady  reply. 

"  But  we  saw  you  run  away  from  the  store  and 
come  down  here,  didn't  we,  Jackson  ?" 

"  We  certainly  did,"  returned  the  constable,  with 
a  grave  shake  of  his  head. 

"  You  saw  me  ?"  gasped  Matt,  starting  back. 

"Exactly,"  said  Isaac  Marvelling.  "  I  heard  you 
run  out  of  the  yard  behind  the  store  right  after  I 
had  called  in  Jackson  to  tell  him  about  the  robber y. 
We  both  saw  you  jump  the  fence  and  skip  off  in 
this  direction." 

"  You  might  as  well  own  tip  to  what  you  have 
done,"  added  the  constable.  "  It  won't  do  you  any 
good  to  deny  it." 

For  the  moment  Matt  did  not  reply  to  this.  He 
was  thinking  of  what  had  occurred  at  the  bridge 
just  before  the  two  men  had  reached  it.  Could  it 
be  possible  that  the  dark  object  which  had  Left  the 


THE  YOUNG  AUVTIONEKn.  J,V.i 

place   when   he  had  arrived  was  the  thief,   rooted 
out  of  what  he  had  considered  a  saf'<4  hiding-place? 

"  How  near  were  v<m  to  me  when  you  m\y 
lirst  ?"  he  asked  of  Marvelling. 

"  We  were  near  enough." 

"  Did  you  see  my  face  ?" 

"  Never  mind  if  we  did  or  not." 

"  No,  I  must  say  I  didn't  see  your  face,"  said  the 
constable,  who,  although  a  friend  of  the  store- 
keeper, was  yet  disposed  to  be  fair  and  square. 

"  You  probably  saw  a  man,  and  he  ran  in  this 
direction,"  went  on  Matt. 

"  We  saw  you,"  said  Marvelling  doggedly. 
"  March  him  back  to  the  store,  Jackson,  and  we'll 
make  him  confess  where  he  has  placed  the  stolen 
stuff.     He  doesn't  seem  to  have  it  with  him" 

"  If  you  wish  to  get  back  your  goods  you  had 
better  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say,"  returned  Matt, 
trying  to  keep  down  his  rising  temper.  "  I  did  not 
enter  your  store,  but  perhaps  I  can  put  you  on  the 
track  of  the  party  who  did." 

*'  Oh,  pshaw  !  that's  all  talk  !"  snarled  Isaac  Mar- 
velling.    "  March  him  back,  Jackson." 

"  It  won't  do  any  harm  to  listen  to  his  story," 
said  the  constable  meekly.  "  I  reckon  you  want  to 
get  the  goods  back  more  than  anything." 

"  Of  course !    of  course !"   responded   the   store- 


160  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

keeper  eagerly.  "  I  can't  afford  to  lose  forty-five 
dollars'  worth  of  stuff  at  once." 

"  You  say  you  didn't  do  the  job,  and  that  you 
think  you  can  put  us  on  the  right  track  ?" 

"  I  think  I  can  do  something  for  you,"  returned 
Matt. 

And  in  a  few  brief  words  he  told  how  he  hap- 
pened to  be  at  the  bridge  and  what  he  had  seen. 
The  constable  listened  with  deep  interest,  but  Isaac 
Marvelling  pooh-poohed  the  whole  story. 

"  He's  a  good  one  at  telling  'era,"  said  the  store- 
keeper.    "  I  don't  place  no  credit  in  what  he  says." 

"  Well,  it  won't  do  an}^  harm  to  investigate,"  re- 
plied Jackson.  "  You  hold  him,  while  I  light  my 
lantern  and  take  a  look  under  the  bridge." 

"  He  may  try  to  get  away  from  me,"  said  Mar- 
velling, as  he  surveyed  Matt's  tall  and  well-built 
form  with  some  trepidation.  "  He  would  most  likely 
do  anything  to  keep  out  of  jail." 

"  I  have  more  at  stake  than  }^ou  have,"  cried  the 
young  auctioneer. 

" Indeed  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir.  I  consider  my  reputation  worth  'con- 
siderably more  than  a  paltry  forty-five  dollars." 

"  Do  you  ?  Well,  to  me  the  reputation  of  a  trav- 
eling and  swindling  auctioneer  isn't  worth  much  !" 
grumbled  Isaac  Marvelling. 


THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER.  16] 

"  You  may  regret  those  words,"  was  Matt's  brief 
reply  ;  and  for  the  time  being  he  said  no  more. 

In  the  meanwhile  Jackson  had  struck  a  match 
and  lit  the  somewhat  smoky  lantern  he  carried. 

Seeing  to  it  that  Matt  was  safe  in  Marvelling's 
custody,  the  constable  sprang  down  from  the  bridge 
to  the  rocks  below.  A  second  later  he  disappeared 
under  the  bridge. 

The  two  above  heard  him  rummaging  around  in 
the  loose  stones  and  among  the  brush  for  all  of  five 
minutes.  Both  listened  for  some  call  from  him,  the 
store-keeper  all  the  while  keeping  a  tight  hold  on 
Matt's  arm. 

"Well,  have  you  found  anything?"  cried  the 
store-keeper  at  last,  unable  longer  to  stand  the  sus- 
pense. 

"  I  have,"  returned  Jackson,  and  a  second  later  he 
appeared  again,  holding  in  his  hand  a  carving-knife 
and  two  spoons. 

"  Found  these  under  the  bridge,"  he  explained,  as 
he  clambered  up  upon  the  structure  again.  "  They 
are  your  goods,  I  take  it." 

"  Of  course  they  are  my  goods !"  cried  Isaac  Mar- 
velling, as  he  glanced  at  the  articles.  "  Is  that  all  ?'" 
he  went  on  disappointedly. 

"That's  all  I  could  find.  There  may  be  more 
there  or  in  the  water." 


162  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  This  young  rascal  threw  them  there  F  cried  trie 
store-keeper,  shaking  Matt's  arm  savagely.  "  You 
imp !  tell  me  where  the  other  things  are  at  once,  or 
I'll  skin  you  alive  !" 

"Look  here,  Mr.  Marvelling;  I  want  you  to  let 
go  of  me  and  be  reasonable,"  returned  Matt,  as 
calmly  as  he  could.  "  I  am  not  a  thief.  If  I  was, 
would  I  tell  the  storv  1  did,  or  send  down  your  com- 
panion to  find  those  things?  My  story  about  that 
object  under  the  bridge  is  true,  and,  to  my  way  of 
thinking,  it  was  the  thief  you  saw  jump  the  fence 
and  run  in  this  direction.  When  I  sprang  down  to 
bathe  my  face  and  hands  he  got  scared  and  ran  out 
on  the  other  side  of  the  bridge,  and  in  his  hurry  he 
must  have  dropped  the  things  which  have  been 
found.1' 

"  Stuff  and  nonsense !" 

"His  story  may  be  true,"  put  in  Jackson  mildly. 

"  My  advice  is  to  follow  up  the  brook  and  see  if 
you  cannot  track  the  thief,"  went  on  the  young 
auctioneer.    "And  do  not  lose  any  time  in  doing  it." 

"And  what  will  become  of  you?"  sneered  the 
store-keeper. 

"  I  will  go  with  }tou,  if  you  wish." 

"  That's  a  good  idea,"  said  the  constable.  "  Come, 
let  us  start  without  delay.  If  we  can't  find  any- 
body we  can  take  the  boy  to  the  lock-up,  anyway." 


THE  roi  \'7  AVOTIOtfEl  [(J3 

Isaac  Marvelling  grumbled,  but  at  last  consented, 
and  soon  all  three  were  down  under  the  bridge. 
Here  it  was  pitch-dark,  and  the  feeble  rajs  of  the 
lantern  only  lit  up  a  circle  that  was  less  than  three 
yards  in  diameter. 

In  hopes  of  clearing  himself,  more  than  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding-  Isaac  Marvelling  in  the  recovery 
of  the  goods,  Matt  set  to  work  with  a  will. 

"Here  is  another  spoon,1'  he  said  presently,  and 
he  handed  over  a  silver-plated  affair,  which  at  the 
most  was  not  worth  fifteen  cents,  wholesale. 

"  Here  are  a  couple  of  knives,"  added  Jackson. 
"And  here  is  a  bit  of  paper  some  of  the  stuff  must 
have  been  wrapped  in." 

"  Look  here !"  suddenly  cried  Matt,  as  he  pointed 
down  into  the  water.  "  Here's  a  man's  cap,  and  it 
looks  as  if  it  had  just  fallen  in,  for  one  side  of  the 
peak  is  not  yet  wet." 

"  Let  me  see  that  cap,"  returned  the  constable 
quickly. 

He  snatched  it  from  Matt's  hand  and  turned  with 
it  to  the  lantern.  His  examination  lasted  but  a  few 
seconds. 

"  Say,  Marvelling,  have  you  seen  anything  of  old 
Joe  Yedley  lately  ?"  he  asked,  turning  to  the  store- 
keeper. 

"Yedley?     Why,  yes :  he  was  in  the  store  beg- 


164  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

ging,  only  yesterday,"  was  the  reply.  "  But  what 
has  he " 

"  Did  you  give  him  anything  ?" 

"Give  him  anything?"  cried  Marvelling  wrath- 
fully.  "  Kot  a  cent !  I  told  him  to  clear  out ;  that 
I  didn't  want  him  to  ever  come  in  again.  I  have 
no  use  for  beggars." 

"  Did  he  go  near  the  case  with  the  cutlery  and 
jewelry  in  it  V 

"  Humph  !  I  suppose  he  did.  But  what  has  he  to 
do  with  this  ?" 

"  This  is  Joe  Yedley's  cap  ;  I  would  know  it  out 
of  a  thousand.  He  is  an  old  offender,  and  it  is  more 
than  likely  that  he  is  the  thief !" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  165 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

THE    SHANTY    IN    THE    WOODS. 

The  reader  may  rest  assured  that  Matt  listened 
with  deep  interest  to  the  words  of  the  constable. 
He  knew  nothing  of  the  man  that  had  been  men- 
tioned as  the  probable  thief,  but  he  was  willing  to 
believe  Jackson's  supposition  true. 

"  That  Joe  Yedley's  cap  ?"  returned  Isaac  Mar- 
velling slowly. 

"  Certainly.  You  ought  to  know  it  well  enough. 
He  has  worn  nothing  else  for  years." 

"  Humph  !  how  did  it  get  here  ?" 

"  The  man  must  have  dropped  it  in  his  haste  to 
get  away  when  I  came  here,"  said  Matt.  "  He  left 
in  a  big  hurry." 

"  That's  most  likely  it,"  said  the  constable.  "  To 
tell  the  truth,  it  looks  just  like  a  piece  of  Yedley's 
work,"  he  added  slowly.  "  He  did  it  in  order  to 
get  square,  as  much  as  anything,  I  reckon.  He 
always  resented  being  called  a  beggar." 

"  Humph  !"  muttered  Isaac  Marvelling,  not  par- 


166  THE  YOUNQ  AUCTIONEER. 

ticularly  pleased  over  the  turn  affairs  seemed  to  be 
taking.  "  lie  may  be  guilty  and  he  may  not  be,  1 
rather  think  you  had  better  hold  this  young  fellow 
tor  awhile  yet." 

k-  Just  as  you  say." 

"  You  may  hold  me  if  you  wish,"  put  in  the  young 
auctioneer.  "But  if  you  want  to  get  all  of  your 
stuff  back  you  had  better  follow  up  this  Yedley." 

,k  I'll  do  that,'1  returned  the  constable.  "  I  have 
an  idea  I  can  find  out  where  he  has  gone  to.  He 
has  several  old  hang-outs  here,  and  most  likely  he'll 
be  at  one  or  another  of  them.'" 

"  Are  any  of  the  places  close  at  hand  ?" 

"  He  used  to  put  up  at  a  shanty  back  here  in  the 
woods,"  was  the  slow  reply.  "  It  is  possible  he  has 
struck  for  that  place — or  else  for  Bill  Voegler's 
barn." 

"  Supposing  we  three  make  for  the  shanty  with- 
out delay  ?" 

The  matter  Avas  talked  over,  and  finally  Isaac 
Marvelling,  urged  on  solely  by  the  desire  to  recover 
his  goods  and  not  to  clear  Matt,  consented  to  ac- 
company the  others  to  the  place  the  constable  had 
named. 

It  was  a  dark  and  lonely  road  the  trio  had  to 
travel.  But  Jackson  knew  the  way  well,  and  to 
avoid  suspicion,  put  out  the  light.     lie  cautioned 


THE  YOVNO  AUCTIONEER.  167 

them  not  to  make  any  noise,  and  so,  as  silently  as 
Indians,  they  filed  along,  Jackson  first  and  Marvel- 
ling last,  with  the  young  auctioneer  between  them. 

Ten  minutes'  walking  brought  them  to  the  edge 
A  a  bii  of  woodland,  surrounded  on  three  sides  by 
jorn-fields.      Here  Jackson  called  a  halt. 

"The  shanty  is  not  two  hundred  feet  from  here. 
iveep  quiet  while  I  go  on  and  investigate,"  he 
vhispered. 

The  constable  glided  out  of  sight,  and  five  min- 
ites  of  silent  suspense  followed. 

"  It  ain't  likely  he'll  find  anything,"  grumbled 
1  ;<vic  Marvelling.  "  This  ain't  anything  but  a  wild 
g&oue  chase." 

:i  Wait,"  returned  Matt.  "  He  must  go  slow,  or 
he  may " 

The  young  auctioneer  broke  off  short,  for  at  that 
ins  tan  t  several  loud  exclamations  reached  their 
ears. 

"  Sui render,  Yedley  !"  the}7  heard  Jackson  cry. 
tw  Surrender,  in  the  name  of  the  law !" 

"Who  iold  ye  to  come  here?"  yelled  the  voice  of 
an  old  man.     "  Git  out  an'  leave  me  alone." 

"I  arreyt  you,  Yedley,  for  stealing —  Hullo! 
he's  gone  !      ,'top  him  !  stop  him  I11 

There   wag     he   banging  of  a  shanty  door,  and 


168  THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER. 

then  a  crashing  in  the  bushes.  Footsteps  came 
close  to  where  Matt  and  Marvelling  stood. 

"  He's  coming  this  way !"  cried  the  young  auc- 
tioneer.    "  Let  us  stop  him  !" 

"  You  stop  him  I"  stammered  the  store-keeper. 
"  He  is — is  a  very  ugly  man  to  deal  with." 

And  as  the  old  fellow  in  question  appeared  in 
sight,  the  store-keeper  dropped  down  behind  the 
rail  fence,  leaving  Matt  to  face  Joe  Yedley  alone. 

This  the  young  auctioneeer  did  without  hesita- 
tion. 

"  Stop  where  you  are !"  he  cried  out,  and  as 
Yedley  attempted  to  leap  the  fence,  he  caught  the 
fellow  by  the  leg  and  dragged  him  to  the  ground. 

"  Let  go  of  me !"  howled  the  man  savagely. 
"  Let  go,  boy,  or  it  will  be  the  worse  for  }7ou  !" 

"  Don't  you  attempt  to  rise,  or  I'll  knock  you 
down,"  was  Matt's  undaunted  reply.  "  Just  you 
remain  where  you  are  until  Mr.  Jackson  gets  back." 

But  Yedley  would  not  remain  still,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence, a  fierce  struggle  ensued.  Matt  called  to 
Isaac  Marvelling  to  come  to  his  assistance,  but  the 
store-keeper  was  too  afraid  to  do  so,  and  only 
screamed  for  Jackson  to  come  and  secure  the  thief. 

Yedley,  although  well  along  in  years,  was  very 
strong  and  active,  and  Matt  gradually  found  him- 
self   being    overpowered.     But   he   held   on   until 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  1G9 

Jackson  arrived,  and  then  the  man  was  quickly 
subdued  by  the  sight  of  the  constable's  pistol. 

"  Now,  Yedley,  you  had  better  tell  us  what  you 
have  done  with  the  stolen  goods,"  said  Jackson, 
after  he  and  the  others  had  somewhat  regained  their 
breath. 

"  Yes  !  yes  !  hand  over  my  goods  !"  put  in  Isaac 
Marvelling  eagerly. 

"  Ain't  got  no  goods — didn't  steal  nuthin' !" 
growled  the  old  man. 

"  We  know  better,"  said  Jackson.  "  We'll  search 
the  shanty." 

This  was  done,  and  in  one  corner,  under  some 
loose  flooring,  was  found  a  large  bundle  done  up  in 
several  newspapers.  When  this  was  opened  there 
came  to  light  many  knives,  forks  and  spoons,  as  well 
as  a  quantity  of  cheap  jewelry,  such  as  watch  chains, 
rings  and  trinkets.  The  entire  collection  was  not 
worth  over  fifteen  dollars,  although  Isaac  Marvelling 
stuck  to  it  that  the  articles  had  cost  him  forty -five 
dollars  cash. 

After  the  store-keeper  had  made  certain  that  all 
of  his  goods,  with  the  exception  of  several  cheap 
spoons,  which  must  have  slipped  out  of  the  bundle 
on  the  way,  were  safe,  all  hands  made  their  way 
back  to  the  village.  Yedley  begged  to  be  allowed 
to  go,  but  the  constable  was  firm,  and  the  man  was 


170  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

eventually  locked  up,  and  later  on  sent  to  jail  for 
one  year. 

Isaac  Marvelling  was  too  mean  a  man  to  recognize 
the  service  Matt  had  done  him,  or  to  apologize  for 
the  false  charges  he  had  made  against  the  young 
auctioneer.  As  soon  as  he  could  he  got  out  of 
Matt's  wajj  and  that  was  about  the  last  the  boy 
saw  of  him. 

But  Jackson,  the  constable,  did  not  hesitate  to  tell 
the  whole  story,  and,  as  a  consequence,  the  people 
of  the  village  thought  less  of  the  mean  store-keeper 
than  ever.  His  trade  dropped  down  daily,  until  he 
was  at  last  forced  to  give  up  his  store  and  go  back 
to  the  farm  from  which  he  had  originally  come, 

On  the  following  morning  Matt  and  his  partner 
jet  off  bright  and  early  for  Phillipsburg.  Andy  had 
heard  the  particulars  of  Matt's  adventures,  and  he 
sincerely  trusted  that  neither  would  have  anything 
further  to  do  with  thieves,  little  dreaming  of  what 
fate  had  in  store  for  them  in  the  near  future. 

They  had  done  very  well  in  High  Bridge,  and  so 
took  their  time  to  reach  the  pretty  manufacturing 
town  which  lies  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Delaware. 
The  road  was  a  good  one,  and  on  the  way  they 
stopped  at  a  farmhouse,  where  Andy  treated  the 
firm,  as  he  termed  it,  to  apple  pie  and  fresh  milk. 
He  was  going  to  pay  for  these  articles  in  cash,  but 


THE  TO  UNO  A  UCT10NEEH.  \  ;  1 

the  farmer's  wife  wished  a  hat-pin,  and  gladly  took 
one  out  of  their  stock  instead. 

When  they  arrived  in  Phillipsburg  they  found 
that  their  new  goods  from  New  York  had  not  yel 
arrived,  but  were  told  that  the  cases  would  prob- 
ably come  in  on  the  afternoon  freight.  After  this 
they  started  to  find  a  vacant  store.  Strange  to  say, 
there  was  none  to  be  had  which  would  suit  their 
purpose.  There  were  several  large  places  vacant, 
but  all  of  them  were  on  side  streets,  and  these  they 
declined  to  hire. 

"  We'll  have  to  sell  direct  from  the  wagon,'1  said 
Andy.     "  Perhaps  we'll  do  just  as  well." 

They  found  a  good  corner,  and  after  paying  a 
license  fee  and  getting  a  square  meal,  opened  up  for 
business.  Hardly  anything  was  done  during  the 
afternoon,  but  toward  evening  trade  picked  up,  and 
when  they  finally  dismissed  the  crowd  they  found 
they  had  taken  in  seventeen  dollars. 

"  And  that's  pretty  good,  considering  that  we  are 
out  of  many  of  our  best  sellers,"  was  Andy's  com- 
ment. "  We  must  go  around  to  the  freight  house 
the  first  thing  in  the  morning  and  stock  up  again/' 

"  1  see  by  the  posters  that  there  is  to  be  a  big  fire- 
men's parade  in  Easton  day  after  to-morrow,"  said 
Matt.  "  Would  it  not  be  a  good  idea  to  locate  there 
just  before  it  comes  off  ?"   . 


1 72  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

"  Excellent.     Day  after  to-morrow,  you  say  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  the  posters  are  everywhere." 

"  Then  instead  of  remaining  here  we  had  better 
cross  the  river  as  soon  as  we  have  our  cases  of 
goods.  If  we  can  only  get  a  store  in  a  good  location 
we  may  do  better  than  we  did  on  circus  day  in  those 
other  places." 

"  That's  true,  Andy,  for  I  saw  by  the  bills  that 
the  railroads  are  going  to  run  special  excursions  on 
account  of  the  big  parade,  so  there  will  be  many 
strangers  with  money  in  the  city." 

As  soon  as  the  freight  depot  was  open  the  next 
morning  the  two  drove  to  the  place,  and  Andy 
entered  the  office  and  called  for  the  cases,  three  in 
number. 

"  What's  the  name?"  asked  the  agent  in  charge. 

Andy  told  him,  and  an  examination  of  all  the 
freight  which  had  come  in  was  made,  and  then  the 
two  made  the  dismaying  discovery  that  no  goods 
for  them  had  arrived. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  173 


CHAPTEK  XXIII. 

SOMETHING      IS      MISSING. 

"  The  goods  haven't  come  in  I"  cried  Matt. 
"  What's  to  be  done  now  ?  We  can't  open  up  with- 
out them,  and  we  can't  afford  to  miss  the  chance  of 
taking  a  good  round  sum  on  parade  day." 

"  I'll  telegraph  to  New  York  and  find  out  what 
the  trouble  is,"  returned  Andy,  and  he  started  for 
the  telergaph  office  without  delay. 

The  message  was  sent  to  the  metropolis  within 
quarter  of  an  hour,  reaching  its  destination  before 
any  of  the  down-town  wholesale  houses  were  open 
for  business.  At  eleven  o'clock  a  reply  came  back 
that  the  cases  had  been  duly  sent,  and  that  the 
delay  would  be  traced  up,  if  possible,  at  the  freight 
depot  there. 

"  This  leaves  us  in  a  pickle  for  to-day,"  said  Andy, 
as  he  handed  the  message  over  to  Matt. 

"  Well,  it  won't  be  so  bad  if  only  we  get  our 
goods  by  to-morrow  morning,  Andy.     Let  us   go 


1 74  TBB  TO  I TNG  A  U(  'TIO  NEER. 

over  to  Easton,  anyway,  and  look  for  a  store,  and  if 
we  can  find  one,  take  the  risk  of  hiring  it." 

So  they  crossed  the  river  and  began  a  search, 
leaving  the  horse  and  wagon  tied  up  at  the  freight 
depot  in  Phillipsburg  in  the  meantime. 

The}7  found  that  the  firemen's  parade  was  really 
to  be  very  large,  and  already  the  store-keepers  were 
decorating  in  its  honor.  On  the  streets  numerous 
fakirs  were  about,  offering  badges,  medals,  song- 
sheets,  souvenirs,  and  other  wares  for  sale. 

"  I'll  take  this  street,  and  you  take  that,"  said 
Andy,  as  they  came  to  a  corner.  "  Go  around  the 
block,  and  then  take  the  next  block.  In  that  way 
we  may  find  a  store  quicker.  There  is  no  use  for 
both  of  us  to  go  over  the  same  ground." 

So,  after  appointing  a  meeting-place,  the  two 
separated,  and  Matt  hurried  along  the  street  Andy 
had  designated  to  him. 

"  Here  you  are,  gents,  the  most  wonderful  corn 
and  bunion  salve  in  the  market !"  he  presently 
heard  a  voice  crying  out.  "  Made  first  expressly 
for  the  Emperor  of  Germany,  and  now  sold  in 
America  for  the  first  time.  "Warranted  to  cure  the 
worst  corn  ever  known,  and  sold  for  the  small  sum 
of  ten  cents !  They  go  like  hot-cakes,  the  boxes  do, 
for  they  all  know  how  good  the  salve  is  !  Thank 
you,  sir  ;  who'll  have  the  next  *" 


Tlltt  YOUXG  AUCTIONEER.  \], 

Matt  stopped  short,  as  something  in  the  voice  of 
the  street  ttierchant  attracted  his  attention.  II ;i 
looked  at  the  man  and  saw  that  it  was  Paul  Bar- 
berry, the  fellow  who  had  wished  to  be  taken  in  as 
a  partner  in  Newark. 

"  Give  me  a  box  of  that  ere  salve,"  Matt  heard  an 
old  man  say,  and  saw  the  traveling  corn  doctor  hand 
over  a  package  of  his  preparation. 

The  purchaser  of  the  package  handed  over  a 
quarter  of  a  dollar  in  silver.  Barberry  stuck  the 
money  in  his  pocket,  and  without  attempting  to 
give  back  any  change,  thrust  two  more  packages  of 
his  corn  salve  into  the  old  man's  hands. 

"  What — what's  this?"  stammered  the  old  fellow. 
"  Where  is  my  change  ?" 

"  That's  all  right,  three  for  a  quarter,  sir,"  re- 
turned Paul  Barberry  briskly.  "  Who'll  have  the 
next  1     Don't  all  crowd  up  at  once  !" 

"  Bnt  I  don't  want  three,"  said  the  old  man 
timidly.     "  I  want  my  change." 

"  You'll  find  you  need  three,  find  'em  very  valu- 
able, sir!  That's  right,  come  right  up  and  buy, 
buy,  buy!  It's  the  greatest  on  the  face  of  the 
globe !"  bawled  Barberry,  turning  away  and  address- 
ing another  crowd  on  the  sidewalk. 

"  Well,  Til  be  jiggered !"  muttered  the  old  man, 
and  much  put  out,  but  too  timid  to  stand  up  for  his 


176  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

rights  and  demand  the  return  of  his  money,  he 
placed  the  packages  in  his  coat-tail  pocket,  and 
walked  off. 

"  "Well,  that's  what  I  call  a  rather  high-handed 
proceeding,"  thought  Matt.  "  !No  wonder  some  folks 
consider  street  merchants  and  traveling  auctioneers 
little  better  than  thieves,  when  some  of  them  act  in 
that  fashion.  I  don't  think  he'll  prosper,  though, 
in  the  end." 

He  was  about  to  continue  on  his  way,  when  Paul 
Barberry  caught  sight  of  him  and  came  forward. 

"  Hullo,  my  young  friend !"  he  called  out 
pleasantly.  "  What  brings  you  to  Easton — the  big 
parade  ?" 

Matt  did  not  like  this  manner  of  being  addressed. 
He  considered  the  corn  salve  doctor  altogether  too 
familiar,  so  he  replied  rather  coldly : 

"  Eot  particularly.  We  merely  struck  Easton  in 
the  course  of  our  travels." 

"  Oh,  then  you  and  your  companion  are  still  on 
the  road  with  your  wagon  ?" 

"  Yes." 

Paul  Barberry  seemed  to  grow  interested  at 
once. 

"  Good  enough  !     And  how  is  business  ?" 

"  Very  good,"  returned  Matt,  and  not  without 
pardonable  pride. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  177 

a  Then  you  are  not  ready  to  take  me  in  as  a 
partner  yet  ?" 

"  Not  quite  ;  my  friend  and  I  can  run  the  business 
very  well  without  outside  help.1' 

"But  you  might  make  more  money  with  me  in 
the  firm,"  went  on  Paul  Barberry  persistently. 

"  We  haven't  room  for  a  third  person." 

"Where  are  you  stopping  now  ?" 

"  We  haven't  a  place  yet.  My  partner  and  I  have 
just  started  to  look  for  an  empty  store." 

"  Oh,  then  you  are  going  to  stay  several  days  or 
a  week." 

"  Yes." 

"  Where  were  you  last?" 

"  Across  the  river." 

"  Do  pretty  well  in  Phillipsburg  ?" 

"  We  did  very  well — until  we  began  to  run  out  of 
goods." 

"  I  couldn't  do  anything  in  Phillipsburg," 
grumbled  Paul  Barberry.  "It's  only  a  one-horse 
place,  anyway.     So  you  ran  out  of  goods  there  ?" 

"  We  ran  out  of  some  goods — our  best  sellers." 

"  Why  don't  you  send  for  more  goods  ?" 

"  We  have  sent,  and  we  are  expecting  the  cases 
at  any  moment  at  the  Phillipsburg  freight  depot." 

"  Where  is  your  horse  and  wagon  V 


178  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Tied  up  at  the  depot  over  there,"  and  to  avoid 
being  questioned  further,  Matt  began  to  move  off. 

"  I  think  I  can  get  a  good  store  for  you,"  went  on 
Barberry,  catching  him  by  the  arm. 

H  Thank  you,  but  I  would  prefer  to  do  my  own 
hunting,"  returned  the  young  auctioneer,  still  more 
coc  lly.  I 

"  Don't  want  anything  to  do  with  me,  eh  ?"  re- 
torted the  corn  salve  vender  angrily. 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  take  your  valuable  time  in 
transacting  my  business,"  returned  Matt,  and  off  he 
hurried,  before  Barberry  could  offer  any  reply. 

"  He  and  his  partner  are  mighty  independent 
chaps,"  grumbled  the  pretended  doctor,  as  he  gazed 
after  Matt,  with  a  scowl  on  his  face.  "  I  suppose 
he  thinks  himself  above  me  because  he  has  a  horse 
and  wagon.  Well,  maybe  he  won't  be  any  better 
off  than  I  am  some  day." 

And,  in  far  from  a  good  humor,  Paul  Barberry 
resumed  the  sale  of  his  so-styled  wonderful  corn 
cure,  a  preparation,  by  the  way,  which  was  of  no 
value  as  a  remedial  agent. 

Matt  Avalked  along  for  several  blocks  without 
running  across  any  empty  stores  that  would  be 
suitable  for  holding  sale».  Most  of  the  places  were 
too  small,  and  others  w<#9  vr  out-of-the-way  corners, 


tu\<;  TotrM  At  {v.) 

to  which  it  would  be  next  to  impossible  to  attract  a 
crowd. 

At  the  appointed  time  he  walked  to  the  spot 
where  he  was  to  meet  Andy.  His  partner  was 
waiting  for  him,  a  smile  resting  on  his  pleasant 
face. 

"  Any  luck,  Matt?"  he  asked. 

"  None.'1 

"  I've  struck  something  that  I  imagine  will  just 
suit  us.     Come  on  and  look  at  it." 

The  two  hurried  to  the  place  Andy  had  in  mind. 
It  was,  indeed,  a  good  store,  and  just  in  the  right 
spot,  and  ten  minutes  later  they  were  on  the  way  to 
hunt  up  the  landlord  and  rent  the  place. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  find  the  person  for 
whom  they  were  seeking,  and  it  was  well  along  in 
the  afternoon  before  the  man  who  owned  the  build- 
ing was  found.  He  agreed  to  let  them  have  the 
store  for  four  days  for  ten  dollars,  and  the  bargain 
was  closed  on  the  spot. 

Then  they  returned  to  the  store  and  cleaned 
it  up  as  best  they  could,  and  at  a  little  after  five 
o'clock  locked  up  and  started  back  to  Phillipsburg 
to  ascertain  if  their  cases  of  goods  had  yet  arrived. 

The  walk  across  the  bridge  did  not  take  long,  and 
the  freight  depot  was  close  at  hand. 

"  Why,  where    is    the  horse  and   wagon  ?"  cried 


180  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

Matt,  as  he  discovered  that  the  turn-out  was  missing 
from  the  place  where  Billy  had  been  fastened. 

"  Well,  that's  what  I  would  like  to  know,"  re- 
turned Andy.  "  I  don't  see  a  thing  of  it  anywhere, 
do  you  ?" 

They  looked  around,  up  one  street  and  down 
another,  but  neither  Billy  nor  the  gayly-painted 
wagon  came  into  view. 

"  I'll  ask  the  freight  agent  about  it,"  said  Matt, 
and  he  hurried  into  the  office. 

"  Your  horse  and  wagon  ?"  repeated  the  agent,  in 
reply  to  his  question.  "  Why,  I  guess  your  man 
drove  off  with  them." 

"  Our  man  ?"  gasped  the  young  auctioneer. 

"  Yes ;  the  one  you  sent  around  here  to  get  those 
cases  of  goods  you  were  expecting.  He  took  the 
cases,  too." 


THE  YO  UNG  A  UCTIONEEB.  181 


CHAPTEE   XXIV. 


ALONG     THE      RIVER 


Matt  could  do  nothing  but  stare  at  the  freight 
agent.  A  man  had  come  there  and  driven  off  with 
the  horse  and  wagon  and  taken  the  cases  of  goods 
with  him.     It  seemed  too  bold-faced  to  be  true. 

"  Our  man  V  he  stammered.    "  We  have  no  man." 

"  Didn't  you  send  the  man  here  ?"  demanded  the 
agent,  as  he  stopped  short  in  his  Avork  of  checking 
off  packages. 

"  We  certainly  did  not,"  returned  the  young  auc- 
tioneer. "Andy  I1'  he  called  out,  as  he  stepped  back 
toward  the  open  door,  and  a  moment  later  Andy 
Dilks  hurried  into  the  depot. 

"  He  says  a  man  came  here,  got  the  cases  of  goods, 
and  drove  off  with  Billy,"  cried  Matt  breathlessly. 
"You  did  not  send  any  one  here,  did  you  ?" 

"  Certainly  not,"  returned  Andy  promptly. 
"  When  was  this  ?" 

"Less  than  two  hours  ago,"  replied  the  freight 


182  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

agent,  and  lie  was  now  all  attention.  "Do  you 
mean  to  say  the  fellow  was  a  thief?" 

"He  was!"  cried  Matt. 

"I  don't  see  how  he  could  be  anything  else," 
added  Andy.  "Did  he  pretend  to  have  an  order 
1'or  the  cases  ?" 

"  Yes,  he  had  a  written  order." 

"And  the  bill  of  lading?" 

'•  X — no,  he  didn't  have  that,"  was  the  slow  reply . 
"  Cut  I  thought  it  was  all  right.  He  looked  like  an 
honest  chap,  You  had  better  notify  the  police  at 
once." 

"We  will,"  said  Matt,  "What  sort  of  a.looking 
fellow  was  he  ?" 

As  best  he  could  the  freight  agent  gave  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  man  who  bad  driven  off  with  the  goods 
and  the  turn-out.  Matt  and  Andy  both  listened 
attentively. 

"By  the  boots,  I'll  bet  it  was  that  Paul  Barberry  1" 
almost  shouted  the  young  auctioneer,  ere  the  agent 
had.  ceased  talking.  "This  is  his  way  of  getting 
even  with  us  for  not  taking  him  into  partnership." 

"Perhaps  you  are  right,11  returned  Andy.  "Did 
you  say  anything  to  him  about  the  wagon  being 
here  F 

"I  did."  And  Matt  briefly  narrated  the  conver- 
sation he  had  had  with  the  corn  doctor. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  183 

Then  the  agent  was  questioned  further,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  all  three  were  convinced  that 
the  pretended  doctor  was  the  guilty  party. 

"If  I  had  known  he  wasn't  square  I  would  not 
have  let  him  have  the  cases  of  goods,  that's  sure," 
said  the  agent  meekly. 

"  I  do  not  doubt  that,"  returned  Andy.  "  But 
the  loss  of  the  horse  and  wagon  is  more  than  we 
can  stand  as  it  is.  We  will  have  to  hold  the  rail- 
road responsible  for  the  three  cases." 

"Can't  we  go  after  the  thief?"  suggested  the 
agent,  considerably  wrorried,  for  he  wTell  knew  that 
if  the  stolen  cases  were  not  recovered  the  loss  would 
come  out  of  his  own  pocket. 

"  Have  you  a  horse  and  wagon  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  I  can  get  it  in  five  minutes." 

"  What  direction  did  the  thief  take,  do  you  sup- 
pose ?" 

The  freight  agent  thought  for  a  moment. 

"  It  is  my  opinion  that  he  either  went  over  to 
Easton  or  else  up  the  river." 

"  It  is  not  likely  that  he  went  across  the  bridge," 
said  Matt.  u  If  it  was  this  Paul  Barberry  he  would 
be  afraid  to  take  that  direction,  fearing  to  meet  me 
and  my  partner  on  our  way  here." 

"  Yes,  that's  so,"  put  in  Andy. 


184  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Then  he  went  up  the  river.  There  is  quite  a 
good  road  for  a  number  of  miles." 

"  Well,  supposing  you  get  your  horse  and  wagon," 
said  Matt  impatiently.  "  It  will  not  do  to  waste 
time  here." 

"  But  what  of  the  police  ?"  questioned  Andy. 

"  We  can  notify  them  when  we  come  back — that 
is,  if  we  are  unsuccessful." 

"All  right ;  hurry  up  that  wagon,  then." 

The  freight  agent  at  once  disappeared  around  the 
corner  of  the  building.  He  was  gone  nearly  five 
minutes.  When  he  returned  he  was  leading  a  fine 
black  horse,  attached  to  a  light  road  wagon. 

"  Brought  you  Flip,  my  fast  trotter,"  he  explained. 
"  He  ought  to  be  able  to  overtake  any  bit  of  horse- 
flesh in  these  parts." 

"  Well,  we  want  a  fast  horse,"  replied  Matt,  as  he 
sprang  into  the  wagon  without  delay.  He  was 
quickly  followed  by  Andy  and  the  freight  agent, 
and  off  they  went  at  a  spanking  gait  down  the 
smooth  road. 

It  was  a  fine  day,  cool  and  clear,  and  under  any 
other  circumstances  both  Matt  and  Andy  would 
have  enjoyed  the  drive.  But  just  now  they  were 
filled  with  fears.  Supposing  they  were  unable  to 
recover  their  turn-out  and  goods  Avhat  then  ? 

The  partners  looked  at  each  other,  and  that  look 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER,  185 

meant  but  one  thing.  They  must  recover  their 
property.  Such  a  thing  as  failure  was  not  to  be 
countenanced. 

At  length  Phillipsburg  was  left  far  behind,  and 
they  entered  a  somewhat  hilly  farming  section. 
Presently  they  came  to  a  farmhouse  standing  close 
to  the  road.  There  was  an  old  countryman  stand- 
ing by  the  gate,  smoking  a  pipe  leisurely,  and  Matt 
directed  the  freight  agent  to  draw  rein. 

"  Good  afternoon,"  said  the  young  auctioneer 
politely.  "  I  wish  to  ask  you  for  a  bit  of  infor- 
mation." 

"  Well,  son,  what  is  it  ?"  returned  the  old  country- 
man, removing  his  pipe  from  his  mouth  and  gazing 
at  all  three  curiously. 

"  Did  an  auction  wagon  pass  this  way  a  short 
while  ago  ?" 

"  An  auction  wagon  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  a  covered  wagon,  with  the  sign, 
'  Eureka  Auction  Co.,'  painted  on  the  sides.  It  had 
a  single  white  horse,  with  brown  spots." 

The  old  man's  face  lit  up. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I  saw  that  wagon,"  he  replied. 

"  You  did  ?"  cried  Andy.  "  We  are  very  glad  to 
hear  it.     Which  way  did  it  go  ?" 

"  Right  up  that  way,"  and  the  countryman  waved 
his  hand  to  the  northwest. 


77//;  rotrm  awti< 

"Along  the  river  still,"  said  the  freight  agent. 
"  I  thought  so." 

He  was  about  .to  drive  on  when  Matt  stopped  him. 

" Did  you  notice  who  was  driving  the  wagon?" 
he  called  back. 

"Yes,  a  tall  man  kind  of  shabbily  dressed." 

"  Must  be  Barberry,"  muttered  the  young 
auctioneer. 

""What's  the  trouble?'  questioned  the  country- 
irian  curiously. 

"  The  turn-out  has  been  stolen.  Unit's  the  trouble," 
replied  the  boy,  and  off  they  Sped  again,  leaving  the 
old  countryman  staring  after  them  in  open-mouthed 
wonder. 

They  turned  from  the  main  road,  which  about 
half  a  mile  back  had  led  away  from  the  Delaware, 
and  took  the  side  road  the  old  man  had  indicated. 
It  was  an  uneven  wagon  track,  and  they  went 
bumping  over  rocks  and  stumps  of  trees  in  a  most 
alarming  fashion. 

"  He  couldn't  have  gone  far  in  this  direction," 
muttered  the  freight  agent  ruefully.  "  Why,  it  is 
enough  to  break  the  springs  of  any  wagon  ever 
made." 

"  My  idea  is  that  he  had  an  object  in  coming 
down  here,"  responded  Andy  thoughtfully.  "  Is 
there  any  sort  of  bridge  in  the  neighborhood  ?" 


77/ a;  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER,  18? 

The  agent  shook  his  head. 

"  No." 

"  Or  a  place  where  the  river  might  be  forded?" 

"  Not  now.  The  heavy  rains  have  swollen  the 
stream,  as  you  can  see.  In  real  dry  weather  he 
might  find  a  place  to  ford." 

"  Well,  it's  certain  that  if  he  came  this  way  to 
merely  get  out  of  our  reach  he  chose  an  awful  way 
of  doing  it,"  remarked  Matt,  as  a  sudden  lurch  of 
the  wagon  sent  him  bouncing  up  into  the  air. 
"  This  is  the  worst  riding  I've  struck  yet." 

"  Worse  than  when  Billy  ran  away  ?"  questioned 
Andy,  with  a  sudden  gleam  of  humor. 

"  Well,  hardly  that,"  admitted  the  young  auction- 
eer. "  But  that  wasn't  riding  at  all.  That  was  a 
slap-bang,  go-as-you-please  trip,  which  didn't — 
hullo  !  look  there  !" 

He  motioned  to  the  freight  agent  to  draw  rein 
and  pointed  to  a  deep  track  in  a  soft  bit  of  ground 
ahead. 

"  It's  the  track  of  our  wagon  sure  enough  !"  ex- 
claimed  Andy.     "  I  could  tell  it  out  of  a  hundred.'1 

u  So  could  I,  Andy.  Follow  that,  please,"  went 
on  Matt,  to  the  agent. 

"  It's  queer  you  didn't  see  that  track  before,"  said 
the  driver  slowly. 

"  The  reason  is  because  it  comes  from  the  rocks. 


188  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

Barberry  thought  it  best  to  keep  on  the  rocks,  I 
suppose.  Maybe  he  thought  he  would  get  stuck  in 
the  mud  with  the  cases  if  he  got  on  soft  ground." 

"  That's  the  truth  of  it,  you  can  depend  on  it," 
said  Andy.  "  Hurry  up  and  follow  that  track  to 
the  end,  and  we'll  soon  have  our  wagon  and  goods 
back." 

On  and  on  they  went,  over  soft  patches  of  ground, 
through  low  bushes,  and  around  rocks  and  fallen 
trees.  Sometimes  they  were  close  to  the  water's 
edge,  and  again  thev  traveled  almost  out  of  sight  of 
the  clear-flowing  stream. 

"  We  can't  go  much  further  in  this  direction," 
said  the  freight  agent,  when  all  of  a  mile  of  ground 
had  been  covered. 

"  Why  not  ?"  asked  Andy. 

"  There  is  a  big  wall  of  rock  just  ahead.  We  will 
have  to  pull  away  from  the  river  now." 

"  No,  we  won't !"  shouted  Matt.     "  Look  there  !" 

And  he  pointed  to  where  the  wagon  tracks  led 
directly  down  into  the  water. 

"  I'll  bet  all  I  am  worth  that  he  crossed  the  stream 
here,"  he  Avent  on.  "  Do  you  not  see  how  shallow 
it  is  ?  He  went  over  to  that  island,  and  from  there 
directly  to  the  other  side." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  189 


CHAPTER  XX  Y. 


A     BITTER     MISTAKE. 


Both  Andy  and  the  freight  agent  saw  at  once  that 
Matt  was  right,  and  the  jaw  of  the  driver  of  the 
wagon  dropped. 

"  Humph  !  I  was  certain  he  couldn't  cross  right 
after  such  heavy  rains,"  he  said  moodily. 

"  But  you  see  he  has  crossed,"  went  on  the  young 
auctioneer.  "  I  will  tell  you  what  I'm  going  to  do 
— wade  across  and  see  if  I  can't  strike  the  tracks  on 
the  other  side." 

"  You'll  get  pretty  wet,  especially  if  you  slip  into 
a  deep  hole,"  returned  Andy. 

"  I'll  take  off  part  of  my  clothing,"  returned  Matt, 
and  he  did  so  without  delay. 

The  water  was  colder  than  he  had  anticipated, 
and  he  shivered  slightly  as  he  waded  in  deeper  and 
deeper. 

"  Can  you  swim,  should  you  slip  ?"  called  out 
Andy  anxiously. 


190  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 

"  Yes,  I  can  swim,11  returned  Matt,  "  but  I  hope 
that  won't  be  necessary  !" 

Moving  along  cautiously  where  the  rocks  stuck 
up  the  highest,  the  young  auctioneer  worked  his 
way  slowly  over  to  the  island  he  had  previously 
pointed  out.  It  was  painful  work,  for  he  had  taken 
off  his  shoes,  and  now  he  found  the  bottom  in  many 
places  cut  his  feet.  But  at  last  the  island  was 
reached,  and  he  walked  out  upon  the  dry  ground. 

It  did  not  take  Matt  long  to  discover  the  wagon 
tracks  for  which  he  was  searching.  They  were 
close  at  hand,  and  led  almost  in  a  straight  line 
across  the  little  patch,  which  was  not  over  two 
hundred  feet  in  width. 

"Here  they  are!'1  he  shouted  back  to  the  others. 
"  He  went  right  across  just  as  I  supposed.1' 

"Humph!  Xow  what  is  to  be  done  T  ques- 
tioned the  agent,  with  a  perplexed  look  upon  his 
face. 

"  We  must  cross  and  follow  him,1"  replied  Andy 
determinedly. 

"Do  you  want  me  to  take  the  horse  and  wagon 
across  ?" 

"  Why  not  %  The  thief  took  that  heavily  loaded 
wagon  over.  I  guess  this  light  affair  will  go  over 
all  right." 


7 11 K  J r0 UNO  A  U< ' T10NKKH.  \\\\ 

The  agent  was  doubtful  about  this,  and  rubbed 
his  chin  reflectively. 

w>  I  might  drive  on  till  I  got  to  a  bridge,  or  turn 
back  to  one,"  he  suggested. 

"  That  would  take  too  long,"  returned  Matt's 
partner  impatiently.  "  We  must  'strike  while  the 
iron  is  hot,'  as  the  saying  is." 

"Come  on!"  shouted  Matt  from  the  island. 
"Come  straight  over  and  vou  will  be  all  riffht." 

^  Well,  we  caji  make  the  venture,  but  I  am  a  bit 
shaky  over  it,"  said  the  freight  agent,  and  with  a 
face  full  of  the  concern  he  felt  for  his  turn-out  he 
headed  his  trotter  toward  the  water. 

At  first  the  horse  was  inclined  to  shy  to  one  side. 
lie  pranced  up  and  down  a  bit  and  dug  into  the 
sand  and  loose  stones  with  his  hoofs. 

"You  can  see  he  don't  want  to  go,11  said  the 
driver.  "  I  really  think  we  had  better  find  a 
bridge." 

"Oh,  nonsense!  give  me  the  reins!"  returned 
Andy  sharply,  seeing  that  the  fellow  was  alto- 
gether too  easily  frightened.  "  I  will  take  him 
over  safely." 

"  Don't  be  too  sure  I"  cried  the  agent  in  alarm. 
cc  He  will  break  at  the  least  little  tiling!" 

But  Andy  would  not  listen  to  him  further.     He 


192  THE  TO  UJSTO  A  UCTIONEER. 

took  the  reins,  and  holding  them  firmly,  tapped  the 
trotter  with  the  whip. 

The  horse  made  a  rush  into  the  water,  and  in  less 
than  ten  seconds  the  wagon  was  in  up  to  the  axles. 

"  We  will  be  drowned  !  We  will  be  drowned  !" 
cried  the  agent  in  sudden  terror.     "  I  can't  swim  !" 

"  We  won't  be  drowned.  Just  you  hold  on  and 
keep  quiet,"  returned  Andy  shortly. 

"  But — but  we  are  going  deeper !" 

"  Not  much  deeper.     I  can  still  see  the  bottom." 

"  Supposing  we  should  slip — or  Flip  should  slip  ?" 

"  Or  we  had  an  earthquake,"  added  Andy,  utterly 
disgusted  with  the  freight  agent's  actions.  "  Don't 
you  want  to  get  back  those  cases,  or  do  you  prefer 
to  pay  for  them  ?" 

This  last  remark  effectually  silenced  the  man. 
He  clung  to  the  seat  looking  badly  scared,  but  he 
offered  no  more  suggestions. 

With  due  caution,  but  as  rapidly  as  possible,  Andy 
drove  the  horse  over  the  rocks,  carefully  avoiding 
such  spots  as  he  thought  might  be  extra  deep  or 
slippery.  Matt,  on  the  island,  shouted  several 
directions  to  him;  and  thus  the  journey  was  safely 
accomplished. 

"  Good  so  far  !"  cried  the  young  auctioneer,  when 
the  horse  was  once  more  on  dry  ground.  "That 
was  easy  enough." 


THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER.  103 

"  Easier  than  I  thought  it  would  be !"  exclaimed 
the  freight  agent,  with  a  deep  breath  of  relief.  "  I 
wish  we  were  over  all  the  way  !" 

"  The  second  trip  will  be  easier  than  the  first 
was,"  remarked  Andy.     "  It  is  much  more  shallow." 

"  I  will  wade  ahead  and  make  sure  of  the  way," 
put  in  Matt,  and  without  loss  of  time  he  started 
out. 

It  was  not  so  deep  toward  the  Pennsylvania 
shore,  but  the  current  appeared  to  run  swifter,  and 
the  boy  had  all  he  could  do  when  up  to  his  thighs 
to  keep  his  feet.  But  the  horse  and  wagon  came 
along  all  right,  and  inside  of  ten  minutes  they  were 
high  and  dry  upon  the  opposite  bank. 

Here  it  did  not  take  long  to  rediscover  the  tracks 
made  by  the  auction  turn-out,  and  as  soon  as  Matt 
could  don  what  clothing  he  had  taken  off,  they 
started  to  follow^  it  up  once  more. 

"I  can't  see  why  he  crossed  the  river  in  that 
fashion,"  grumbled  the  freight  agent,  as  he  tapped 
his  horse  with  the  whip. 

"  I  can,"  returned  Andy.  "  He  did  it  to  throw 
us  off  the  track.  He  had  no  time  to  get  rid  of  the 
signs  on  the  wagon,  and  he  knew  we  would  learn, 
sooner  or  later,  in  what  direction  he  had  gone. 
But  he  thought  we  would  not  find  out  how  he  had 


194  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 

crossed  and  would  think  that  he  had  kept  along  on 
the  eastern  bank." 

On  and  on  they  went,  over  the  rocky  roads,  now 
through  a  sharp  cut  between  the  mountains,  and 
then  again  around  a  curve  overlooking  some  tiny 
stream  far  below. 

"  A  beautiful  place,'1  said  Matt,  as  his  eyes  rested 
on  a  particularly  beautiful  bit  of  picturesque  scenery. 
"  How  can  people  stick  in  the  stuffy  city  when  there 
is  so  much  like  this  going  to  waste,  so  to  speak  ?" 

"  That's  a  conundrum/'  returned  Andy.  "  But  I 
have  heard  it  said  that  many  city-born  folks  would 
rather  die  between  brick  walls  than  live  amid  green 
fields." 

"Just  look  at  those  rocks  and  trees,  and  listen  to 
those  birds  sing !" 

"It  is  truly  grand,  that's  a  fact,"  returned  Andy. 
"  Do  you  know,  if  I  was  wealthy,  I  believe  I  would 
like  nothing  better  than  to  spend  all  of  my  summer 
in  among  the  mountains." 

"And  that  would  just  suit  me,"  returned  Matt 
enthusiastically,  and  then  he  suddenly  sobered  down. 
"  But  we  are  not  rich,  Andy,  and  unl  ss  we  get  back 
our  turn-out  we'll  be  as  poor  as  ever." 

"Oh,  we'll  have  to  catch  that  t!ivi'."*  y\\\  in  tho 
freight  agent.     "He  can't  be  many  miles  \\\\  sad." 

"The  trouble  is  it's  growing  dark,  and  \vc   can 


THE  YOUNO  AUCTIONEER.  195 

hardly  see  the  wagon  tracks  any  more,"  said  the 
young  auctioneer. 

"  It  grows  dark  early  in  among  the  mountains," 
remarked  Andy.  "  If  the  land  was  Level,  it  would 
be  light  enough." 

On  they  went,  passing  through  several  little  ham- 
lets. At  each  of  these  places  they  inquired  about 
the  auction  wagon,  and  were  told  that  it  had  passed 
through,  the  man  driving  at  almost  top  speed. 

"  lie  is  going  to  get  away  as  far  as  he  can  before 
lie  puts  up  for  the  night,"  said  Andy.  "  I  do  not 
believe  we  will  catch  him  until  we  reach  the  place 
at  which  he  is  stopping." 

"  My  trotter  is  not  used  to  this  sort  of  thing,1' 
said  the  freight  agent.  "  lie  is  beginning  to  play 
out." 

"  At  the  next  town  we  reach  we  can  hire  a  horse,'1 
said  Matt.  "And  you  can  go  back  if  you  wish. 
There  is  no  telling  how  long  this  chase  may  last." 

"I  ought  to  be  back  attending  to  business,"  was 
the  agent's  reply.  "  My  clerk  can  hardly  take  my 
place.     Would  you  two  be  willing  to  go  on  alone  ?" 

"Certainly,"  returned  Andy. 

The  next  place,  a  village  of  perhaps  twenty  or 

thirty  houses  and    half   a   dozen   stores,  was   soon 

reached.    There  was  a  small  tavern,  and  they  drove 

up  to  this.     Alighting,  Matt  ran  inside  and  ques- 


196  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 

tioned  the  half  a  score  of  loungers  concerning  the 
auction  wagon. 

Every  man  in  the  place  shook  his  head.  The 
wagon  had  not  been  seen  in  the  village.  Nearly  all 
of  the  men  had  just  come  in  from  work,  and  every 
one  said  that  had  the  wagon  been  on  the  main  road 
at  all  he  would  have  seen  it. 

Matt  listened  with  a  sinking  heart,  and  as  Andy 
came  in  he  grasped  his  parter  by  the  shoulder. 

"  We  have  made  a  mistake,"  he  said  faintly. 

"  A  mistake,  Matt  ?" 

"  Yes.  The  wagon  did  not  come  here  at  all.  We 
are  on  the  wrong  track !" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  197 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 


SOMETHING    OF    A    SURPRISE. 


Andy  was  certainly  as  much  dismayed  as  Matt  at 
the  discovery  which  had  been  made.  Just  at  the 
time  when  they  supposed  that  they  were  drawing 
closer  to  the  object  of  their  chase,  they  found  that 
they  were  most  likely  further  away  than  ever. 
The  older  member  of  the  firm  gave  another  groan, 
and  this  was  supplemented,  by  another  from  the 
freight  agent. 

"  I  knew  he  couldn't  cross  that  river,"  growled 
the  latter.  "  Now,  just  see  what  a  wild  goose  chase 
you  have  led  us  !" 

"  Oh,  he  crossed  the  river,  there  is  no  doubt  of 
that !"  returned  Matt  quickly.  "  But  where  we  got 
off  the  track  was  somewhere  among  the  mountains. 
We  dropped  the  right  track  and  took  something 
that  resembled  it." 

"  Yes,  that  must  be  the  truth  of  the  matter,"  put 
in  Andy.     "It's  too  bad!" 


198  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  What's  it  all  about,  anyway  ?"  questioned  the 
tavern-keeper  curiously. 

In  a  few  brief  words  Andy  explained  matters, 
while  not  only  the  tavern-keeper,  but  also  the  others 
in  the  place,  listened  with  deep  interest. 

"  Any  reward  offered  for  catching  the  rascal  2" 
questioned  one  of  the  men  present,  a  brawny  indi- 
vidual— evidently  a  mountaineer. 

"Yes,"  returned  Matt  quickly.  "How  much 
shall  we  offer,  Andy?"  he  asked  in  a  whisper. 

"  Twenty  -five  dollars  would  not  be  too  much," 
returned  his  partner.  "  It  is  quite  a  sum  to  us,  I 
know,  but  I  guess  we  would  rather  have  our  turn- 
out back  a  dozen  times  over." 

"We  will  give  twenty-live  dollars  in  cash  for  the 
return  of  our  horse,  wagon  and  goods,"  said  Matt, 
in  a  voice  loud  enough  for  all  to  hear. 

"  Twenty  -five  dollars  in  cash  !"  repeated  several, 
and  it  was  plain  to  see  that  this  offer  was  regarded 
as  quite  liberal. 

"  What  kind  of  a  looking  turn-out  is  it  ?"  was 
next  asked. 

Matt  described  Billy  and  the  wagon.  All  listened 
attentively,  and  when  he  had  finished  the  moun- 
taineer who  had  first  spoken  tapped  him  on  the 
shoulder. 

"  I'll  go  out  with  ye  and  hunt  him  up,  stranger." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEMB.  199 

"  So  will  T  !"  cried  another. 

"  And  I!"  added  a  third,  and  soon  six  men  stood 
ready  to  continue  the  search  with  Andy  and  Matt. 

Seeing  this,  the  freight  agent  decided  to  drive 
hack  home,  taking  a  much  better  road,  which  led 
down  to  Easton.  He  did  not  lose  any  time  in 
starting,  and,  if  the  truth  must  be  told,  both  Andy 
and  Matt  were  glad  to  be  rid  of  him. 

After  he  had  gone  the  auctioneers  procured 
another  horse  and  wagon  from  the  tavern-keeper 
and  also  a  couple  of  lanterns.  The  mountaineer  had 
a  mule  upon  which  he  rode,  and  the  other  men 
went  along  on  foot. 

They  traveled  the  road  by  which  the  young 
auctioneers  had  come.  The  village  was  situated  in  a 
small  open  spot,  and  now,  when  they  once  more 
found  themselves  between  the  mountains,  they  were 
enveloped  in  a  darkness  which  the  rays  of  the  lan- 
terns scarcely  dispersed. 

They  traveled  along  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and 
inside  of  half  an  hour  came  to  a  fork  in  the  road 
which  Matt  had  had  in  mind  since  the  discovery  of 
their  mistake  had  been  made. 

"  We  will  examine  the  ground  here,"  he  said. 
"  It  is  more  than  likely  he  branched  off  here." 

He  was  soon  hard  at  work,  and  all  of  the  others 
with  him.     The  wagon  track  they  had  followed  was 


200  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

very  plainly  to  be  seen,  and  now  Matt  saw,  at  a 
spot  which  was  covered  with  loose  stones,  where 
the  thief  had  branched  off  with  his  stolen  outfit. 

"  That  is  the  road  he  took,"  he  announced  to  the 
others.  "  Had  we  followed  him  from  here  in  the 
first  place  we  would  most  likely  have  caught  up  to 
him  by  this  time." 

"  Is  that  'ere  track  the  right  one  ?"  questioned 
the  mountaineer  eagerly. 

"  I  believe  it  is." 

"  Then  I'm  off  fer  the  reward !"  shouted  the 
brawny  fellow.  "  Git  up,  Bones  !"  and  he  slapped 
the  mule  with  the  flat  of  his  hand,  and  was  off  with- 
out another  word. 

"  Ramson  will  get  it,  sure,"  grumbled  one  of  the 
other  men.     "No  use  for  us  to  go  any  further." 

And  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  started  back  for 
the  village,  followed  by  most  of  the  others,  leaving 
a  single  man  to  race  after  the  mountaineer  on  foot. 

Matt  and  Andy  were  not  slow  to  urge  their  fresh 
horse  forward.  But  the  way  was  now  even  darker 
than  before  and  also  rougher,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  the  wagon  moved  along. 

"  I  don't  believe  he  went  very  far  on  this  road," 
said  Matt,  bringing  the  horse  to  a  halt.  "  I  am  going 
to  follow  that  track  on  foot." 

He  sprang  down  from  the  seat,  and  with  the  light 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  201 

close  to  the  ground,  moved  along  in  front  of  the 
horse.  It  was  well  that  he  did  so,  for  hardly  had 
he  advanced  a  hundred  feet  than  he  uttered  a  cry 
and  came  to  a  halt. 

"  What's  up  now  ?"  questioned  Andy,  peering  for- 
ward through  the  gloom. 

"  He  turned  off  here  and  went  into  the  brush  on 
the  left.     Don't  you  see  the  tracks  ?" 

"  But  there  is  no  road  through  the  brush.  He 
would  lose  his  way  and  get  caught  among  the  rocks 
further  back." 

"  I  have  an  idea  that  he  drove  away  in  here  to 
hide  the  wagon,"  suddenly  cried  Matt.  "  He  could 
very  well  do  that,  you  know,  and  then  ride  off  on 
horseback  to  some  place  and  put  up  for  the  night." 

"  By  the  boots,  I  believe  you  are  right !"  returned 
Andy.  "  Why,  of  course  that  is  just  what  he  has 
done !  How  stupid  of  us  not  to  think  of  that  be- 
fore." 

"  I  hope  the  wagon  is  still  O.  K.,"  went  on  Matt. 
"  It  would  be  hard  work  to  get  a  spring  fixed  in  this 
out-of-the-way  place." 

"  Well,  we  must  find  the  wagon  first.  Supposing 
we  tie  up  and  go  ahead  on  foot." 

"  I'm  willing." 

They  were  soon  side  by  side,  making  their  way 


2.  ,->  THE  TO  UNO  <  1  U(  'TIONEER. 

through  the  brush  and  around  the  rocks  as  rapidly  as 
they  could. 

"  Let  us  go  forward  as  silently  as  possible  !"  sud- 
denly whispered  the  boy.  "Barberry  may  still  be 
around,  and  if  that  is  so  we  want  to  surprise  him." 

"That's  a  good  idea!  What  a  pity  we  can't  put 
out  the  Light." 

"  We  can't  do  without  it.  The  track  is  growing 
fainter.     We  are  coming  to  almost  solid  rock." 

On  and  on  they  pushed,  until  Andy  calculated 
that  they  had  covered  a  distance  of  five  hundred 
feet  from  the  main  road.  Then  they  found  them- 
selves on  the  verge  of  a  deep  ravine,  with  a  high 
wall  of  rock  to  the  left  of  them. 

"  Phew  !  supposing  he  drove  over  that !"  shud- 
dered Andy,  as  he  pointed  into  the  blackness  of  the 
hollow.  "That  must  be  a  hundred  feet  or  more 
deep." 

"  He  went  to  the  right,  Andy — the  only  way  he 
could  go.     Have  you  any  matches  with  you  ?" 

"  Yes.     What  do  you  want  of  them  ?" 

"  I  am  going  to  put  out  the  light,  for  1  fancy  the 
wagon  is  not  far  off,  and  the  thief  may  be  around 
also.     If  we  wish  we  can  light  up  again  later  on." 

Matt  did  as  he  had  intimated,  and  the  two  found 
themselves  in  a  darkness  that  was  simply  intense  to 
the  last  degree.     They  could    not  see  their  hands 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  303 

before  their  faces,  and  had  to  literally  feel  their  way 
along. 

Matt  went  first,  with  his  partner  holding  on  to 
the  hem  of  his  jacket.  They  had  progressed  but  a 
dozen  feet  when,  on  rounding  a  high  rock,  the  young 
auctioneer  stopped  once  more. 

"  I  was  right,"  he  whispered.  "  The  wagon  is 
directly  ahead." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?" 

"  I  can  see  the  lantern,  which  is  standing  on  the 
seat." 

"  Then  the  thief  must  still  be  around,"  returned 
Andy  excitedly. 

"  I  suppose  so,  but  I  don't  see  any  one.  Come  on, 
but  don't  make  any  noise,  or  he  may  run  away,  and 
I  think  he  ought  to  be  captured  and  locked  up." 

"  Certainly  he  ought  to  be  placed  under  arrest. 
I  am  ready.  Won't  he  be  surprised  when  he  sees 
us !" 

Once  again  they  moved  forward  toward  where 
the  auction  wagon  stood  beneath  the  shelter  of  a 
large  tree.  Matt  noted  that  Billy  had  been  unhar- 
nessed and  was  tied  to  the  rear,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  making  a  meal  of  some  feed  which  had 
been  given  him. 

"  Barberry  is  making  himself  at  home  evidently," 


204  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

murmured  the  young  auctioneer  to  himself.  "  That 
fellow  certainly  has  nerve !" 

"  Hold  up !"  suddenly  cried  Andy,  catching  the 
boy  by  the  arm. 

"  What's  up,  Andy  ?" 

"  Look  there,  to  your  right !" 

Matt  did  as  directed,  and  saw  a  sight  which  both 
amazed  and.  alarmed  him.  There,  by  a  little  fire 
built  to  keep  them  comfortable  in  the  night  air,  sat 
two  burly  men,  drinking  and  smoking.  Neither  of 
the  individuals  was  Paul  Barberry. 


TEE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  205 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


TIMELY     ASSISTANCE. 


"  Those  fellows  must  be  the  thieves,"  whispered 
Andy,  as  he  pointed  to  the  pair  beneath  the  tree. 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,"  returned  Matt.  "  If 
so,  we  have  made  a  big  mistake.  Neither  of  them 
is  Paul  Barberry,  and  I  was  almost  certain  he  was 
the  thief." 

"  So  was  I,  Matt.  But  never  mind  that  now. 
What  worries  me  is  the  fact  that  there  are  two  of 
them." 

"Yes,  and  they  both  look  like  strong  fellows," 
returned  the  young  auctioneer,  as  he  surveyed  the 
pair.  "  If  they  get  ugly  when  we  claim  the  turn-out 
we  may  have  a  lively  time  with  them." 

"  Well,  we  are  in  the  right,  and  we  must  stick  up 
for  our  own." 

"  Of  course  we'll  do  that,"  cried  Matt  determin- 
edly. "  But  I  say,  wouldn't  it  be  best  if  we  each 
got  a  stout  stick  ?  They  may  show  fight  if  they 
fancy  we  are  beyond  outside  aid." 


806  THE  70UN0  AUCTIONEER. 

°  Perhaps  we  can  bluff  them  into  believing  that 
we  have  the  village  authorities  at  our  back,"  sug- 
gested  Andy.  "I  would  rather  frighten  them  oil 
than  run  the  risk  of  coining  off  second  best  in  a  set-to 
with  them." 

"  Hi !  what  are  you  fellows  doing  here  ?"  suddenly 
demanded  a  voice  just  behind  Andy.  "  Do  you 
belong — what,  you  ?" 

And  the  speaker,  none  other  than  Paul  Barberry, 
stepped  back  in  amazement. 

"  What's  the  trouble  there,  Barberry  ?"  cried  one 
of  the  men  by  the  fire,  and  both  sprang  up  in  alarm. 

"  Why,  here  are  the — the — a  couple  of  young 
fellows,"  stammered  the  corn  salve  doctor.  He  was 
so  surprised  he  could  hardly  speak.  "  How  did  you 
get  here  ?"  he  asked  slowly. 

"Never  mind  that,"  returned  Matt.  "I  imagine 
you  know  what  we  are  here  for." 

"  No,  I  don't." 

"Really!"  returned  Andy  sarcastically.  "Well, 
then,  let  me  tell  you  that  we  came  for  our  horse 
and  wagon  and  stock/' 

"  I  haven't  anything  of  yours,"  returned  Paul 
I  >arberry ,  gradually  recovering  from  his  surprise.  In 
making  a  circle  around  the  improvised  cam])  he  had 
stumbled  upon  them  quite  unexpectedly.  "  You 
talk  as  if  I  was  a  thief." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTION KKU.  ->n; 

"  Didn't  you  run  oil'  with  that  horse  and  wagon  ?" 
demanded  Matt. 

"Run  off  with  it?  No,  why  should  I*  The  out- 
lit  belongs  to  me.  Isn't,  that  so,  boys  ?"  and  the 
corn  salve  doctor  turned  to  his  burly  companions. 

"Why,  of  course  it  does  !'"  returned  the  men. 

A  thunderbolt  from  the  sky  at  that  moment  would 
not  have  taken  Andy  and  Matt  more  by  surprise 
than  did  this  statement.  Paul  Barberry's  assur- 
ance actually  staggered  them,  and  neither  could 
speak  for  the  moment. 

"  That  outfit  belongs  to  you  ?"  cried  Matt  at 
length. 

"  Of  course." 

"  That's  the  biggest  falsehood  I  ever  heard  in  my 
life!"  burst  out  Andy.  "You  know  very  well  that 
everything1  there  belongs  to  us/1 

"  I  know  no  such  thing,1'  returned  Barberry  coldly. 
"I  bought  the  outfit  from  you,  and  you  know  it. 
These  gentlemen  know  it  also." 

And  he  waved  his  hand  toward  his  companions. 

"Certainly,  we  know  all  about  it,11  said  one  of 
the  men. 

"Yes,  we  saw  the  money  paid  over,"  added  the 
second  fellow. 

Matt  and  Andy  looked  at  each  other.  Each  knew 
vei'y  well  that  the  other  had  never  made  anv    bar- 


208  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

gain  for  the  sale  of  the  turn-out  and  stock.  The 
whole  scheme  was  one  of  the  corn  doctor  to  get 
possession  of  their  belongings. 

"  See  here,  Barberry,  there  is  no  use  for  you  to 
talk  in  this  fashion,"  went  on  Matt,  as  calmly  as  he 
could,  although  he  was  worked  up  to  the  top  notch 
of  excitement.  "  You  know  very  well  that  you  are 
asserting  that  which  is  not  true.  The  outfit  be- 
longs to  us,  and  you  haven't  the  shadow  of  an 
interest  in  it.  You  stole  it  from  the  Phillipsburg 
freight  depot,  and " 

"  Stop  that !"  blustered  the  corn  salve  doctor. 
"  How  dare  you  call  me  a  thief,  boy  ?" 

"  That  is  what  you  are,  and  nothing  less.  If 
you " 

"  Do  you  hear  that,  fellows  ?"  interrupted  Bar- 
berry, turning  to  the  two  men. 

"  You  want  to  keep  a  civil  tongue  in  your  head, 
boy  !"  cried  one  of  the  men  sharply.  "  Calling  a 
man  a  thief  is  a  serious  business." 

"  And  being  a  thief  is  still  more  serious,"  replied 
Andy.  "  Perhaps  you  fancy  you  can  bluff  us,  as 
the  saying  is,  but  you  are  mistaken.  This  turn-out 
is  ours,  and  we  are  here  to  claim  it.  If  you  molest 
us  in  the  least  we  will  hand  you  all  over  to  the 
police." 

"  We  can  stand  up  for  ourselves,"  returned  the 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  209 

man  with  a  deep  scowl.    "¥e  are  three  to  two,  and 

we  are  armed." 

"  So  you  would  use  force  to  retain  our  property, 

eh  ?"  said  Andy. 

"  "We  do  not  admit  that  it  is  your  property." 

"  But  it  is.    Now  let  me  tell  you  something.    We 

stopped  at  the  village  just  north  of  here,  and  got 

the  assistance  of  nearly  a  dozen  men.     They  are 

scattered  about,  and  should  you  attempt  to  molest 

us  I  shall  give  them  a  signal " 


"  Not  much  you  won't !"  cried  the  man  addressed, 
and  springing  forward,  he  clapped  his  hand  over 
Andy's  mouth.  "  Tend  to  the  other  one,  fellows,  I 
can  manage  this  one !" 

"  All  right,"  returned  his  companion,  and  he,  as 
well  as  Paul  Barberry,  fell  upon  Matt. 

The  attack  had  been  so  sudden  that  Andy  and 
Matt  were  hardly  prepared  to  defend  themselves. 
The  former  Avas  forced  over  on  his  back,  and  despite 
his  utmost  exertions,  was  unable  to  remove  his 
assailant's  hand  from  his  mouth. 

Matt  was  thrown  over  on  his  side,  and  while  Paul 
Barberry  held  one  of  his  arms,  the  other  man  tried 
to  force  him  into  silence. 

"  Make  a  single  sound  and  I'll  kick  you  in  the 
face,"  he  ejaculated  in  a  low,  but  intense  tone. 

"  Help  !  help !"   cried  Matt,  ignoring  the  threat 


210  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

entirely,  and  he  continued  to  call  out  so  long'  as  his 
breath  lasted. 

The  burly  ruffian  tried  to  kick  him  as  he  had 
promised,  but  with  his  disengaged  hand  Matt 
caught  his  foot,  and  after  dancing  about  to  regain 
his  balance,  the  man  came  down  heavily  across  the 
young  auctioneer's  legs. 

The  force  of  the  fall  was  so  great  that  Matt  cried 
out  shrilly  with  pain.  For  the  moment  he  imagined 
that  both  of  his  limbs  must  be  broken. 

"Clap  your  hand  over  his  mouth,  Barberry!" 
cried  the  burly  man,  as  he  struggled  to  regain  his 
feet.  "  Confound  you,  boy,  I'll  teach  you  to  throw 
me I" 

He  sprang  at  Matt,  but  not  before  the  young 
auctioneer  had  had  a  chance  to  turn  over  and  spring 
up.  Matt  realized  what  was  at  stake,  and  knew  he 
must  fight  his  best  or  the  worst  would  happen. 

Before  the  man  could  touch  him  Matt  placed 
Barberry  between  them.  Then  he  gave  the  corn 
doctor  a  push  that  sent  him  staggering  up  against 
his  companion. 

In  the  meantime,  poor  Andy  was  still  fiat  on  his 
back,  unable  to  speak  or  to  move.  His  assailant 
was  on  top  of  him,  and  there  did  not  appear  to  be 
any  immediate  relief  in  sight. 

Seeing  this,  Matt,  as  soon  as  he  had   freed  him- 


77/ a;  young  auctioneer  81  1 

self,  leaped  to  his  partner's  assistance.  He  caught 
the  ruffian  by  the  shoulders,  and  with  a  sharp  jerk 
sent  him  sprawling  flat  upon  his  back  on  a  number 
of  sharp  stones. 

"  Go  at  them  with  stones,  Andy,"  shouted  Matt, 
as  he  himself  stooped  to  pick  up  a  small  rock  which 
lay  at  his  feet.  "We  ought  to  show  them  no 
mercy  !" 

"  That's  true,'1  panted  Ids  partner  as  he  followed 
the  suggestion  by  arming  himself  with  several 
handy  missiles.  "They  are  a  set  of  cowards  in 
my  opinion." 

"  We'll  show  you  if  we  are !"  cried  the  fellow 
who  had  first  attacked  Matt.  "Come  on,  Barberry, 
we  must  make  them  prisoners!" 

And  once  more  he  sprang  forward,  while  the 
fellow  on  his  back,  with  a  groan  of  pain,  staggered 
up  to  lend  his  assistance  in  the  struggle. 

But  now  came  help  for  Matt  and  Andy  from  an 
unexpected  quarter.  There  was  a  crashing  through 
the  brush,  and  a  tall  form  the  thieves  did  not  recog- 
nize burst  into  view.  It  was  Rarnson,  the  moun- 
taineer. 

"  Wot's  a-going  on  here,  anyway?"  shouted  the 
mountaineer  in  a  tone  of  wonder.  "Fighting  worse 
nor  a  lot  of  bears,  T  declare  !     Wot's  it  all  about  ?" 

"  Help  us,  won't  you  ?"  cried  Matt.     "These  are 


212  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

the  fellows  who  stole  the  turn-out,  and  they  will 
not  give  it  up." 

"  Won't,  hey  ?     Well,  it's  your'n,  ain't  it  ?" 

"  It  certainly  is,  and  if  you  will  help  us  you  shall 
have  that  reward,"  put  in  Andy.  "  This  is  the  main 
thief,  and  the  other  two  are  helping  him,"  and  he 
pointed  to  Paul  Barberry. 

Without  more  ceremony,  the  tall  mountaineer 
strode  forward  and  caught  Barberry  by  the  shoul- 
der and  gave  him  such  a  twist  about  that  the  pre- 
tended  doctor  howled  with  pain. 

"  These  two  young  men  are  honest  fellows,  I  take 
it,"  he  said.  "And  if  you  imagine  you  can  do  them 
out  of  their  rights  you  are  mistaken,  at  least  so  long 
as  I  am  around.  Now  just  you  stand  still  while  I 
attend  to  your  helpers,  and  I'll — hullo  !  if  they  *°in't 
gone  and  run  away  !" 

Eamson  was  right.  Hardly  had  he  made  his 
little  speech  than  Paul  Barberry's  two  companions 
had  taken  time  by  the  forelock  and  made  a  rush  for 
the  brush.  Matt  and  Andy  dashed  after  them,  but 
it  was  useless,  for  a  few  seconds  later  they  disap- 
peared in  the  darkness. 


THE  TOUNG  AUCTIONEER,  213 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

BACK     TO     THE     VILLAGE. 

"  Never  mind,  let  them  go,"  said  Andy,  as  he  saw 
the  mountaineer  make  a  movement  as  if  to  follow 
the  retreating  pair.  "  I  do  not  think  that  they  have 
any  of  the  stolen  things  in  their  possession." 

"  But  they  ought  to  be  locked  up,"  insisted  Ram- 
son.  "  Such  thieves  ought  never  to  be  allowed  their 
liberty." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  but  as  matters  stand,  we  can- 
not bother  to  follow  them  just  now." 

"  Maybe  this  fellow  will  tell  us  who  they  were. 
I  didn't  get  a  square  look  at  them,"  went  on  the 
mountaineer,  who  felt  sore  to  think  the  pair  had 
gotten  away  thus  easily. 

"  Yes,  I  imagine  we  can  learn  from  Barberry  who 
they  are,"  put  in  Matt,  as  he  caught  the  pretended 
doctor  by  the  arm.  "  Don't  you  try  to  run,"  he 
added. 

Paul   Barberry    appeared    greatly   disconcerted. 


2 1 4  THE  TO UMG  AUi 'TloXKhlll 

He  had  not  expected  this  sudden  turn  of  affairs,  and 
he  knew  not  what  to  say  or  do. 

"  March  him  up  to  the  wagon  and  light  the  other 
lantern,"  said  Andy.     "I  see  the  fire  is  going  out." 

"  I'll  soon  fix  that,"  returned  Ramson,  and  he 
threw  on  some  dry  twigs,  causing  the  fire  to  blaze 
up  merrily.  "They  were  making  themselves  quite 
at  home.1' 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me  ?."  asked 
Barberry  sullenly,  as  he  found  himself  surrounded, 
with  no  hope  of  escape. 

"  Before  we  answer  that  question  we  wish  to  ask 
a  few  on  our  account,"  returned  Andy.  "  Now  tell 
us  who  your  companions  were/1 

ki  A  couple  of  tramps  I  picked  up  in  Phillips- 
burg." 

"Tramps?" 

"That  is  what  I  call  them.  They  were  bound  for 
Easton  to  sell  prize  packages  of  toilet  soap." 

"Fakirs,  like  yourself,"  put  in  Matt.  "How  did 
you  come  to  pick  them  up  \  Were  you  afraid  to 
steal  the  outfit  alone  C 

"  T  didn't  say  I  stole  the  outfit." 

"  No,  but  you  did,  nevertheless.  Now,  how  did 
you  happen  to  fall  in  with  those  fakirs  P 

k-  Will  you  let  me  go  if  I  tell  you  ?" 

"Certainly  not/'  cried  the  boy.     "We  intend  to 


7 II E  }  '0 1  N<  1  A  I  'VTIONEK11.  %  \  5 

put  you  where  you  will  not  be  able  to  steal  any 
more  for  some  time  to  come." 

"  Arrest  me?"  exclaimed  Paul  Barberry,  in  great 
alarm.  Evidently  he  had  not  thought  such  a  thing 
at  all  likely. 

"  Yes,"  put  in  Andy.  "  And  unless  you  do  as  we 
wish  you  to  it  may  go  mighty  hard  with  you.11 

"  But  I'll  stick  to  it  that  I  bought  the  turn-out,'1 
returned  the  corn  salve  doctor,  trying  to  put  on  a 
bold  front.  "  You'll  have  to  prove  that  you  didn't 
make  the  sale.     I  won't  be  bulldozed." 

"  Get  a  rope  and  bind  him,  Matt,"  said  Andy, 
paying  no  attention  to  the  last  remark.  "We'll 
take  him  to  the  nearest  police  station.  T  suppose 
there  will  have  to  be  some  papers  made  out  before 
he  can  be  taken  back  to  Xew  Jersey." 

The  young  auctioneer  sprang  into  the  wagon  and 
soon  brought  forth  a  long  and  stout  rope.  Paul 
Barberry  watched  these  preparations  with  an 
anxious  face,  and  when  Ramson  stepped  forward 
to  aid  in  making  him  a  close  prisoner  he  began  to 
wilt. 

"  See  here,"  he  said,  addressing  Andy  and  Matt, 
"  I  don't  want  to  be  locked  up.  It  would  injure  my 
reputation  to  a  great  extent.  I  am  willing  to  admit 
that  I  have  done  wrong,  but  I — I — did  it  by  mis- 
take.    I  haven't  felt  well  for  several  days,  and  my 


216  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

head  has  been  affected,  that's  the  whole  truth  of  the 
matter.  "When  I  get  those  spells  I  don't  know  what 
I  am  doing." 

"  He's  a  good  one  at  crawling,"  remarked  Ram- 
son  in  disgust.  "  He'll  get  over  the  spells  when  he's 
locked  up.'' 

In  spite  of  his  protestations  and  pleadings,  Bar- 
berry was  tightly  bound  and  fastened  to  the  rear  of 
the  wagon.  Then  Billy,  who  had  had  quite  a  rest, 
was  harnessed  up  once  more,  and  with  Matt  on 
the  seat  and  Ramson  going  on  ahead  to  pick  the 
way,  they  started  off  for  the  village,  Andy  keeping 
in  the  rear  to  see  to  it  that  their  prisoner  should  not 
escape. 

The  way  was  dark  and  uncertain,  but  the  tall 
mountaineer  proved  a  good  and  careful  guide,  and 
at  the  end  of  an  hour  and  a  half  the  wrorst  part  of 
the  journey  was  over.  They  entered  the  village  just 
as  the  town  clock  was  striking  one. 

"  If  you  want  the  man  arrested  you  had  better 
take  him  directly  to  Justice  Harwig's  house,"  said 
Ramson.  "  He  does  all  the  law  business  in  these 
parts." 

So  to  that  individual's  cottage  they  turned,  and 
Matt  sprang  from  the  wagon  and  used  the  old- 
fashioned  knocker  vigorously.  A  long  silence 
followed,  and  then  a  window  upstairs  wTas  raised 


THE  TO  UNO  A  UGTIONEER.  2 1 7 

and  a  head  adorned  with  a  nightcap  was  thrust 
out. 

"  What's  wanted  ?" 

"  We've  got  a  criminal  for  ye,  judge,"  called  out 
Karason.  "  The  fellow  as  run  away  with  that 
auction  turn-out." 

"  A  criminal,  eh  ?  All  right,  I'll  be  down  in  a 
minnit !" 

The  head  disappeared  and  the  window  was  closed. 
Five  minutes  passed  and  then  a  light  appeared  in  a 
wing  of  the  house,  and  the  justice  opened  the  door 
to  what  he  termed  his  office. 

"  Now,  what's  it  all  about  ?"  he  asked  in  a  sleepy 
voice. 

All  hands  entered  the  place,  Andy  and  the 
mountaineer  leading  Paul  Barberry,  who  looked  any- 
thing but  comfortable.  The  prisoner  was  marched  up 
before  the  justice's  desk,  and  the  others  ranged 
themselves  alongside  of  him,  while  Justice  Harwig, 
a  very  pleasant  man,  made  himself  comfortable  to 
listen  to  what  all  hands  might  have  to  say. 

The  hearing  was  a  short  one,  and  at  its  conclusion 
Paul  Barberry  was  inarched  off  to  the  village  lock- 
up, the  justice  stating  that  he  would  notify  the 
Phillipsburg  authorities,  so  that  they  could  get  the 
necessary  papers  and  take  him  away. 

Barberry  did  all  he  could  to  beg  off,  offering  at 


218  THE  TOVNQ  AUCTIONEER. 

the  last  moment  to  pay  a  fine  equal  to  the  amount 
of  money  in  his  pocket — eighteen  dollars.  Hut 
neither  the  justice  nor  the  others  would  listen  to 
this.  Had  he  not  made  the  fight,  Matt  and  Andy 
might  have  had  some  pity  on  him,  but  they  were 
hut  human  and  could  not  so  easily  forget  the  blows 
they  had  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  thieves. 

It  was  not  deemed  worth  while  to  send  out  any 
one  to  look  for  the  two  men  who  had  escaped,  and 
after  Barberry  was  safe  in  jail  the  young  auction- 
eers drove  over  to  the  tavern  and  put  up  there  for 
the  night.  Ramson  accompanied  them,  and  before 
parting  with  the  mountaineer  they  paid  him  the 
reward  that  had  been  promised,  for  which  he  was 
x^vy  thankful. 

On  the  following  morning  Matt  and  Andy  lost 
no  time  in  starting  back  for  Easton,  telling  Justice 
llarwig  that  they  would  report  to  the  authorities  in 
Phillipsburg  whenever  wanted.  They  found  that 
the  turn-out  had  suffered  no  damage  by  being  stolen. 
The  new  goods  which  had  been  in  the  cases  had 
been  stored  away  in  some  confusion,  but  Andy  soon 
straightened  this  out. 

"I  tell  you  we  can  consider  ourselves  very  lucky 
to  get  out  of  this  so  nicely, "  he  said,  after  he  had 
finished  his  work  and  knew  all  was  right.  "  As  it 
stands,  we  will  be  out  hardly  a  cent." 


77/ a;  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  2 19 

"Yes,  we  were  lucky,"  returned  Matt.  "  But  we 
wouldn't  have  been  had  we  taken  that  freight 
agent's  advice  and  remained  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Delaware." 

"  Well,  no  doubt  he'll  be  glad  to  learn  that  we 
have  recovered  the  goods.  It  saves  him  something 
like  seventy-eight  dollars.'" 

"  \\re  will  lose  the  best  part  of  to-day's  trade,  for 
we  won't  be  able  to  get  back  much  before  two  or 
three  o'clock.'1 

"  Kever  mind,  the  city  is  full  of  people,  and  we 
ought  to  do  best  in  the  evening,"  replied  Andy. 

It  was  a  cool,  clear  day,  and  although  both  were 
rather  tired  from  the  adventures  of  the  night  be- 
fore, they  enjoyed  the  drive  back  to  Easton.  At 
first  Andy  drove,  while  Matt  took  it  easy  on  the 
goods  in  the  back  of  the  wagon,  and  when  half  the 
distance  was  covered  the  partners  changed  places, 
so  that  by  the  time  the  store  they  had  previously 
hired  was  reached,  both  were  sufficiently  rested  to 
go  ahead  with  the  duties  on  hand. 

They  lost  no  time  in  transferring  the  stock  to  the 
store  shelves,  after  which  Andy  drove  off  with  the 
wagon  and  found  a  stable  where  the  turn-out  might 
be  put  up  during  their  stay.  Matt  arranged  the 
stock  on  the  shelves,  and  made  a  great  window  dis- 
play. The  red  flag  was  hung  out,  and  inside  of  an 
hour  afterward  business  was  in  full  swing. 


220  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


UNDESIRABLE    CUSTOMERS. 


Among  their  customers  they  numbered  a  great 
many  fire  laddies,  and  these  they  made  it  a  point  to 
treat  extra  well,  selling  them  goods  at  almost  cost. 
As  a  consequence  the  firemen  told  their  friends,  and 
by  eight  o'clock  that  evening  the  store  was  packed. 

"  This  is  going  to  be  the  banner  day  after  all," 
whispered  Andy,  just  after  making  several  good 
sales.  "  I  believe  we  can  keep  things  moving  until 
midnight." 

They  found  a  great  demand  for  pocket-knives 
and  cheap  jewelry,  and  by  playing  on  the  instru- 
ments they  sold  over  three  dozen  mouth  harmonicas 
and  three  accordions.  Then  Andy  and  Matt  gave 
a  duet  on  the  violin  and  banjo,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence, sold  both  of  the  instruments  they  had 
handled. 

The  music  had  attracted  even  a  greater  crowd, 
and  among  the  people  were  four  tall  and  rather 
ugly-looking  colored  men.     They  shoved  their  way 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  221 

forward  rudely,  causing  some  timid  customers  to 
leave  in  a  hurry,  and  then  began  to  laugh  and  joke 
among  themselves  in  a  loud  and  coarse  manner. 

"  I  am  afraid  we  are  going  to  have  trouble  with 
those  chaps,"  whispered  Matt  to  his  partner. 
"  They  have  been  drinking,  and  they  are  out  for  a 
lark." 

"That's  my  idea,  too,"  returned  Andy.  "We 
must  watch  them  closely." 

For  a  few  minutes  the  young  auctioneers  paid  no 
attention  to  the  four  negroes,  excepting  to  see  that 
they  did  not  take  up  something  without  laying  it 
down  again.  The  fellows  moved  around  through 
the  crowd,  and  at  length  two  of  them  leaned  up 
heavily  against  one  of  the  show-cases  which  be 
longed  to  the  store  fixtures. 

The  combined  weight  of  the  two  men  was  too 
much  for  the  top  glass  of  the  case,  and  with  a  sharp 
crack  it  broke  into  half  a  dozen  pieces. 

"  Hullo  !  dat  glass  dun  gone  and  got  broke  !" 
cried  one  of  the  negroes.  "  I  wonder  how  dat 
happened  ?" 

"  You  broke  that  glass  !"  exclaimed  Matt  sharply. 
"  You  and  your  companion." 

"Me?"  returned  the  offender  in  pretended  sur- 
prise. 

"  Yes,  you — and  your  friend." 


«)•)•)  Til E  YOUNG  AVCTfOXEEJl. 

"  Dat  ain't  so  at  all,  boss!  We  didn't  touch  dat 
yere  glass.     Did  we,  Jeff  ?" 

"  'Deed  we  didn't,  Tooker." 

"  We  didn't  come  in  here  to  do  no  kind  ob  dam 
age,  boss." 

"  Never  mind  what  you  came  in  for,"  returned 
Matt.  "  You  broke  the  glass  and  you  will  have  to 
pay  for  it." 

At  the  young  auctioneers  statement  the  faces  of 
all  four  of  the  colored  men  took  on  a  savage  look. 
They  had  drifted  in  to  do  pretty  much  as  they 
pleased,  and  had  not  expected  to  meet  with  such 
strong  and  sudden  opposition. 

"  I  won't  pay  for  nuffin  !"  growled  the  ringleader 
of  the  quartet.  "  I  dun  reckon  somebody  else  in 
the  crowd  broke  the  glass." 

"  Cos  da  did,"  replied  another  of  the  colored 
men.  "  Maybe  yo'  think  yo'  kin  lay  it  on  us  just 
because  we  is  colored,  hey  ?" 

"  Not  at  all;  a  colored  man  can  be  as  much  of  a 
gentleman  as  any  one — if  he  wishes  to  be,"  put  in 
Andy. 

"Do  youse  mean  to  insinuate  dat  we  ain't 
gen'men?"  questioned  one  of  the  crowd  roughly. 

"You  are  not  gentlemen  when  you  break  glass 
and  refuse  to  pay  for  it,r"  returned  Andy.     "  That 


THE  YOUNG  AlWTIONfiER.  ##j 

glass  is  worth  at  least  a  dollar,  and  unless  it  is  paid 
for,  somebody  will  be  handed  over  to  the  police." 
"Huh  !  do  yo'  fink  yo'  kin  scare  as,  boss  ?' 
"  Yo'  say  another  word  an'  we'll   do   up  de   hull 
place !" 

"We  is  as  good  as  any  white   trash,  remember 

dat  r 

In  the  meantime  one  of  the  colored  men  slid  his 
hand  into  the  show-case  which  had  been  damaged, 
and  essayed  to  grab  a  small  box  of  watch-chains 
which  rested  close  by.  Matt  saw  the  movement, 
slick  as  it  was,  just  in  time,  and  springing  forward 
he  caught  the  colored  man  by  the  arm. 

"  Drop  that  box  !"  he  cried  sternly. 

"  Oh,  I  wasn't  gwine  to  take  de  box,"  returned 
the  would-be  offender.  "  I  was  jess  gwine  to  look 
at  yo'  stock.     How  much  is  dem  chains  worth?" 

"  I  am  not  selling  chains  to  you  to-night,"  re- 
turned Matt. 

lie  had  hardly  spoken  Avhen  Andy  leaned  over 
his  shoulder  and  whispered  into  his  ear: 

"  Talk  to  them  for  a  few  minutes,  and  I'll  slip 
out  and  notify  the  police.  Treat  them  well  until  I 
get  back." 

And  the  next  instant  Matt's  partner  had  disap- 
peared into  the  crowd,  without  any  of  the  colored 
men  noticing  his  departure. 


224  THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER. 

"  Yo?  don't  want  to  sell  me  any  chain  ?"  repeated 
the  colored  man. 

"  Not  to-night." 

"  Why  not?" 

"  This  isn't  chain  night.  I'm  selling  harmonicas 
and  banjos." 

"  Well,  let's  see  some  banjos  den,"  put  in  another 
of  the  negroes,  and  he  winked  at  his  companions^ 
thinking  that  Matt  had  become  too  scared  to  refer 
to  the  broken  show-case  again. 

"All  right,  but  I  don't  want  any  more  show- 
cases broken,"  returned  the  young  auctioneer. 

He  took  a  banjo  from  one  of  the  cases  and  began 
to  tune  it  up  slowly. 

"  Kin  yo'  play  us  a  jig  ?"  asked  one  of  the  colored 
men,  while  the  white  people  in  the  place  looked  on 
in  wonder  at  the  turn  affairs  had  taken. 

"Oh,  yes,  I  can  play  a  jig,"  returned  Matt 
coolly. 

"  Den  give  us  one  now." 

"  You  will  have. to  wait  until  I  am  done  tuning 
up,  gentlemen." 

"  All  right,  we'll  wait." 

Matt  tuned  up  more  slowly  than  ever,  and  even 
allowed  one  of  the  strings  to  break  that  he  might 
gain  an  extra  minute  in  repairing  the  damage.     At 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  225 

last,  after  fully  five  minutes  had  passed,  the  banjo 
was  in  order  for  use,  and  the  young  auctioneer 
struck  off  a  few  chords. 

"  Now  give  us  dat  jig  if  yo'  kin  play  it,"  said  the 
colored  man  impatiently.  He  was  the  same  who 
had  tried  to  steal  the  box  of  chains. 

"  I  won't  play  a  jig  until  you  and  your  compan- 
ion pay  for  the  glass  you  broke,"  returned  Matt 
shortly,  and  he  laid  clown  the  instrument  abruptly, 
and  folded  his  arms. 

"  Wot  ?"  roared  the  colored  men  in  concert. 

"  You  heard  what  I  said." 

"  See  here ;  do  yo'  want  us  to  smash  de  hull 
place  ?"  demanded  the  ringleader  of  the  disturbers. 

"  I  don't  think  you'll  smash  anything  more," 
replied  Matt. 

"I  won't,  hey?    We'll  see  !" 

The  colored  man  made  a  movement  as  if  to  strike 
the  young  auctioneer  in  the  face.  But  before  the 
blow  could  land  he  was  hauled  back  by  a  strong 
arm.  He  and  his  companions  looked  around  and 
found  themselves  confronted  by  two  policemen 
whom  Andy  had  fortunately  met  upon  the  corner 
below. 

The  two  colored  men  who  had  kept  somewhat  in 
the  background  at  once  sneaked  through  the  crowd 


226  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

and  escaped  through  the  open  doorway.  The  other 
two,  the  ones  who  had  done  the  damage,  were  held 
by  the  policemen,  much  to  their  discomfiture. 

A  lively  talk  followed,  and  then  upon  payment 
for  the  damage  done,  the  colored  men  were  allowed 
to  go,  first  being  warned  by  Matt  and  Andy  not  to 
show  themselves  in  the  store  again.  Had  they  not 
paid  up  they  would  have  been  arrested. 

After  this  scene  was  ended  one  of  the  policemen 
remained  in  the  vicinity  of  the  place  for  all  the 
while  the  store  remained  open.  But  nothing  more 
occurred  to  disturb  the  auction  sales. 

Business  in  Easton  was  so  good  that  they  re- 
mained there  until  Tuesday  of  the  following  week. 
During  that  time  they  took  in  nearly  two  hundred 
dollars,  leaving  them  a  profit,  after  all  expenses 
were  met,  of  forty-five  dollars. 

On  Saturday  morning  Matt  and  Andy  were  called 
to  Belvidere,  the  county  seat,  to  testify  against  Bar- 
berry for  the  robbery  at  Phillipsburg.  Strange  to 
say,  Barberry  pleaded  guilty,  so  the  two  boys  had 
no  trouble  in  the  way  of  being  detained  as  witnesses 
against  him.  The  corn  salve  doctor  was  held  for 
sentence. 

After  leaving  Easton  Matt  and  Andy  struck  out 
for  Bethlehem  and  Allentown.  The  weather  was 
now  growing  gradually  colder,  but  they  calculated 


run  )<>r\<i  AUUT10NEHI&  ^ 

that  they  would  hate  at  least  a  month  of  Weather 
which  would  be  lit  to  travel  in,  even  in  this  moun- 
tainous country. 

"At  Allcntown  we  can  stop  long  enough  for  me 
to  take  a  trip  to  Philadelphia  and  buy  goods,"  re- 
marked Andy  as  they  were  driving  out  of  Easton. 

"Justus  you  say,"  returned  Matt.  "I  am  glad 
we  have  to  stock  up  so  often,  and  I  am  looking  for- 
ward to  the  time  when  it  will  be  necessary  for  us 
to  buy  a  larger  wagon  and  get  another  horse  to  put 
beside  Billy.-" 

"  It  will  hardly  pay  us  to  buy  another  horse  this 
fall.  You  must  remember  that  we  are  to  locate  in 
some  place  during  the  winter,  I  have  no  desire 
to  move  around  much  when  the  thermometer  is 
below  the  freezing  point." 

They  were  soon  on  the  outskirts  of  Easton,  and 
then  they  struck  a  rather  rough  road  leading  over 
numerous  hills  and  around  jagged  rocks. 

"  By  jinks  !  I  believe  we  have  missed  the  way," 
remarked  Matt,  as  at  last  he  brought  Billy  to  a 
standstill.  "  That  stable-keeper  said  the  road  was 
a  good  one,  and  I  fail  to  find  this  so." 

"  We'll  stop  at  the  next  house  and  find  out," 
returned  Andy.     "  Do  you  see  any  place  in  sight?" 

"  There  is  a  cottage  down  in  the  hollow  yonder. 
Stay  here  with  Billy,  and  I'll  ask  the  way  there." 


228  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

Matt  sprang  from  the  wagon  and  was  soon  hurry- 
ing across  a  barren  bit  of  pasture  land  that  led 
down  to  a  brook  which  was  all  but  dried  up.  The 
cottage  stood  upon  the  bank  of  the  brook,  ana 
walking  up  to  it,  the  young  auctioneer  rapped  upon 
the  door. 

There  was  an  exclamation  of  surprise  from 
within,  and  then  he  was  asked  to  enter.  He  did 
so,  and  was  greatly  vexed  to  find  himself  in  the 
presence  of  three  of  the  colored  men  who  had 
created  the  disturbance  in  the  store  but  a  few 
nights  before! 


THE  TO  UNG  A  UGTIONEER.  229 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


A   DASH    FROM    DANGER. 


Had  Matt  known  that  he  would  meet  three  of  the 
colored  men  in  the  cottage  in  the  hollow,  it  is  more 
than  likely  that  he  would  not  have  gone  near  the 
place. 

When  he  and  Andy  had  had  the  trouble  at  the 
store,  the  two  men  who  had  been  compelled  to  pay 
for  the  broken  glass  had  gone  off  in  anything  but  a 
happy  frame  of  mind,  and  the  young  auctioneer  had 
then  remarked  to  his  partner  that  they  might  have 
trouble  with  the  men  should  they  chance  to  meet 
them  away  from  police  protection. 

Matt  saw  at  once  that  the  negroes  recognized 
him,  and  that  his  reception  would  be  far  from 
agreeable.  Had  he  been  less  courageous  he  would 
have  turned  and  fled,  but  as  it  was,  he  stood  his 
ground. 

All  three  of  the  colored  men  had  been  seated 
around  a  kitchen  table  playing  cards,  but  at  his 


230  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

entrance  the  two  who  had  been  the  primary  cause 
of  the  former  trouble  sprang  to  their  feet  and  came 
toward  him. 

"  Huh  !  what  brings  yo'  heah  P  demanded  the 
ringleader  of  the  mischief-makers  wrathfullv. 

For  the  instant  Matt  hardly  knew  how  to  reply. 
He  recognized  his  mistake  in  coming  to  the  cottage, 
and  lie  was  anxious  now  to  make  as  early  a  depar- 
ture as  possible. 

u  Do  you  live  here  ?"  he  asked  bold  I  v. 

"  Yes  we  do,"  returned  the  colored  man. 

u  Then  I  have  made  a  mistake  in  coming  here.  I 
thought  some  one  else  might  live  here." 

And  he  took  a  step  backward  to  the  door. 

"  HoP  on  I'1  exclaimed  the  colored  man,  coming 
still  closer.     "  What  brung  yo'  heah  ?" 

"  1  wanted  to  find  out  if  we  were  on  the  right 
road,  that  was  all.     But  I  can  find  out  elsewhere."" 

"  AVhar's  yo'  wagon  ?" 

"  Over  on  the  road,''  and  Matt  waved  his  hand  in 
the  direction. 

"  Gwine  to  leave  Easton  ?"  questioned  the  second 
colored  man. 

"  Yes." 

No  sooner  had  Matt  made  the  reply  than  the  three 
colored  men  glanced  at  each  other,  and  the  ring- 
leader whispered  to  his  companions. 


y  :///<;  JQUNG  M<"ni>M-:h;h.  2:31 

"  See  yeah,  yo'  ain't  gvvine  befo'  we  is  squ#r'  wid 
yo' !"  lie  cried,  as  lie  caught  Matt  by  the  arm. 

tw  Let  go  of  me  !"  exclaimed  the  young  auctioneer. 
"  I  won't  stand  being  molested  !" 

"  We'll  see  about  dat !"  cried  the  second  colored 
man,  and  lie  also  caught  hold  of  Matt. 

"Close  dat  doah,  Shelby!"  went  on  the  ring- 
leader, to  the  man  still  at  the  table.  "  Dis  is  just 
de  chance  we  wanted  at  dis  yeah  boy!" 

The  man  addressed  at  once  arose,  and  rushing  to 
the  somewhat  rickety  door,  not  only  closed  it,  but 
also  locked  it. 

Matt  viewed  this  movement  with  increased 
alarm,  and  squirmed  to  release  himself,  but  without 
avail. 

"  Yo1  can't  git  away  from  us,  njohow  !"  cried  the 
ringleader,  as  he  squeezed  the  young  auctioneer's 
arm  until  Matt  thought  he  would  crack  a  bone. 
••  We  is  gwine  for  to  teach  you  a  lesson,  boy,  dat  yo' 
won't  1'orgit  in  a  long  while  !" 

"  Help !  help  !"  yelled  Matt,  without  more  ado, 
realizing  that  the  situation  was  becoming  suddenly 
desperate. 

He  had  barely  time  to  repeat  his  cry  when  the 
ringleader  of  the  negroes  clapped  his  big  hand  oyer 
his  mouth.  Then  he  was  forced  over  backward 
upon  the  floor. 


232  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

"  Go  frough  his  pockets,  Jeff !" 

"  Dat's  wot  I  intends  to  do,  Tooker !" 

"  He's  got  a  putty  good  watch." 

"  Maybe  he's  got  a  lot  o'  money,  too." 

The  rascals  began  to  go  through  Matt's  pockets, 
and  he  called  Jeff  made  a  movement  toward  reliev- 
ing the  boy  of  his  watch  and  chain. 

The  timepiece  had  once  belonged  to  Mr.  Lincoln, 
and  to  the  young  auctioneer  it  was  a  valuable  heir- 
loom. The  thought  that  he  was  to  be  deprived  of 
it  angered  him  more  than  did  anything  else,  and  he 
began  to  kick  out  hotly  right  and  left. 

The  negroes  were  not  prepared  for  this,  and  be- 
fore they  could  guard  against  it,  one  received  a  severe 
blow  in  the  chin,  and  the  other  had  the  toe  of  Matt's 
shoe  nearly  knock  out  his  eye.  They  both  gave 
sharp  cries  of  pain  and  fell  back,  and  taking  advan- 
tage of  this  Matt  leaped  to  his  feet. 

"  Open  that!"  he  commanded,  to  the  third  negro, 
who  stood  with  his  back  against  the  door.  "  Open 
that  before  I  make  it  warm  for  you  also !" 

But  the  colored  man  would  not  budge,  and  Matt 
was  compelled  to  attack  him  in  his  fight  for  free- 
dom. 

The  young  auctioneer  was  thoroughly  aroused, 
and  now  showed  what  muscle  he  had  gained  during 
his  free-and-easy  life  on  the  road.     He  attacked  the 


THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER.  233 

man  without  hesitation,  and  forcing  him  aside, 
compelled  him  to  keep  away  from  the  door  by 
blows  and  kicks  delivered  with  surprising  rapidity. 

The  man  had,  at  the  last  moment,  taken  the  key 
from  the  lock  and  thrown  it  in  the  far  corner  of  the 
room.  Not  waiting  to  recover  this,  Matt  began  to 
hammer  at  the  door,  and  gathering  himself  together, 
threw  his  whole  weight  against  it. 

As  has  been  said,  the  door  was  a  rickety  one,  and 
it  went  down  with  a  crash,  tumbling  the  young 
auctioneer  upon  his  face  just  outside  the  cottage. 

"  Hullo !  what  on  earth  does  this  mean  ?"  cried  a 
voice  close  by,  and  Andy  rushed  up,  a  look  of  blank 
astonishment  plainly  depicted  upon  his  face. 

"  Those  negroes !"  gasped  Matt,  struggling  to  rise 
from  amid  the  wreckage  of  the  door.  "Come  on, 
don't  wait,  for  they  are  three  to  two,  and  they  are 
just  drunk  enough  to  be  as  ugly  as  sin !" 

He  caught  Andy  by  the  arm,  and  before  the  latter 
could  ask  for  a  further  explanation,  hurried  him  up 
the  hill  toward  the  wagon. 

The  negroes  came  out  of  the  cottage  and  made 
after  them,  but  only  for  a  short  distance.  Then 
they  came  to  a  sudden  halt,  and  after  a  brief  con- 
sultation, hurried  back  to  the  cottage. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  they  wrent  back  for — pis- 
tols and  razors?"  questioned  Andy,  as  they  reached 


234  THE  yoim:  AVUMOXEEU. 

the  turn-out,  and  lie  unhitched  Billy  from  the  tree 
to  which  he  had  been  tied. 

"No,  they  are  afraid  we  are  going  after  the 
police,"  returned  Matt,  springing  up  to  the  scat. 
"  Every  one  of  that  crowd  ought  to  be  in  jail  this 
minute !"  he  went  on  bitterly. 

"  What  did  they  do  to  you  ?" 

"  Nearly  robbed  me!'1  And  in  a  few  brief  words 
he  related  what  had  happened  to  him. 

"  Well,  do  you  want  to  go  back  to  Easton  and 
make  a  complaint  f"  asked  Andy,  when  he  had  fin- 
ished. 

"  No,  I  am  sick  of  having  to  do  with  the  police, 
Andy.     All  I  want  is  to  be  let  alone." 

"That's  my  sentiment,  Matt,  We  are  out  for 
business— and  money — not  trouble." 

Andy  sprang  up  beside  Matt,  and  it  wTas  soon  de- 
rided by  the  partners  to  continue  on  the  road  until 
another  house  should  appear.  They  looked  back, 
but  saw  nothing  more  of  the  negroes,  and  then 
started  off. 

They  passed  through  a  bit  of  woods  and  down  a 
long  hill.  Here  they  found  a  neat  farmhouse,  where 
a  pleasant  enough  woman  was  sitting  upon  the  door- 
step, knitting  socks. 

"  This  is  one  road,  but  it  is  not  the  best  road," 
replied   the    woman,  in    reply  to    Andy's    question 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTION  MR.  •>:];, 

regarding  the  way  to   Bethlehem.     "  But  now  you 

arc  this  far,  you  had  better  keep  on,  for  it  wilL  be 
harder  to  turn  back." 

"How  far  is  it  to  the  town?" 

"  Not  over  a  mile  and  a  half." 

"And  is  the  road  fairly  good  from  here  ?" 

"Oh,  yes ;  you  can  get  along  very  well/1 

"Then  we  will  continue,"  returned  Andy.  "  By 
the  way,"  he  went  on,  "do  you  know  anything  of 
the  negroes  that  live  in  the  cottage  back  a  \vays  ?" 

The  woman's  face  lost  its  smile  and  she  sighed. 

"  Yes.  I  know  them  only  too  well,"  she  replied. 
"  They  have  stolen  so  many  of  our  chickens  and  so 
much  garden  truck  that  my  husband  is  going  to 
make  a  complaint  against  them.  I  wish  they  would 
leave  the  neighborhood." 

"  I  trust  your  husband  succeeds  in  having  them 
all  locked  up,"  put  in  Matt,  "  for  they  richly  deserve 
it."  And  after  a  few  words  more  with  the  farmer's 
wife  they  passed  on. 

It  was  getting  on  toward  noon  when  they  finally 
arrived  at  Bethlehem,  that  pretty  little  town  on  the 
Lehigh  River.  They  drove  past  several  of  the  silk 
mills,  and  finally  found  a  livery  stable,  at  which 
Billy  and  the  wagon  were  put  up. 

"  It  looks  as  if  we  might  do  some  business  here," 


236  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

said  Andy,  as  they  started  for  a  restaurant  for  din- 
ner.    "  Let  us  open  up  this  afternoon  if  possible." 

"  Shall  we  hire  a  store  ?" 

"  Let  us  try  to  sell  from  the  wagon  first." 

Immediately  after  dinner  they  procured  a  license 
and  found  a  suitable  corner.  They  did  all  in  their 
power  to  attract  a  crowd,  and  finally,  toward  even- 
ing, when  the  working  people  were  on  their  way 
home,  succeeded  in  bringing  quite  an  assemblage 
around  them. 

But,  strange  to  say,  they  could  not  make  a  single 
sale,  try  their  best.  Both  used  up  all  their  elo- 
quence ;  Matt  played  on  the  banjo  and  mouth  har- 
monica, and  Andy  told  funny  stories.  It  was  no 
use ;  the  crowd  merely  smiled  or  frowned,  and  then 
one  after  another  drifted  away. 

"  This  is  the  worst  luck  yet,"  whispered  Andy  to 
Matt.  "I  never  dreamed  that  we  would  strike  any- 
thing like  this." 

A  stout  German  who  stood  in  the  crowd  saw  the 
look  of  wonder  and  disappointment  on  Andy's  face, 
and  he  laughed  heartily. 

"  You  ton't  vos  caught  der  same  pirds  twice 
alretty  !"  he  chuckled  to  several  bystanders. 

"  What's  that  ?"  questioned  Matt,  who  overheard 
the  remark. 

"  You  ton't  vos  caught  der  same  pirds  twice  mit 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  237 

der  same  salt,"  returned  the  German,  and  he 
laughed  heartily  at  what  he  considered  a  good  joke, 
while  those  around  smiled  and  nodded  approvingly. 

"I  must  say  I  don't  see  the  joke,"  said  Matt 
cheerfully.     "  Won't  you  let  me  in  the  secret?" 

"Dose  udder  fellers  vos  schwindle  us,  put  you 
can't  do  it  twice  times  !"  was  the  reply. 

"  Other  fellows  swindled  you  ?"  repeated  Matt. 

"  Yes,  dose  fellers  mit  dot  wagon  vot  vas  here  all 
last  week.  I  don't  dink  but  vot  you  vos  der  same 
crowd  of  fellers !" 


238  THE  tQVm  AUUTIONESn, 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 
dangerous  Mountain  traveling. 

Both  Matt  and  Andy  began  to  smell  a  mouse,  as 
the  saying  is,  and  they  lost  no  time  in  questioning 
not  only  the  German,  but  several  other  people  that 
remained  around  the  wagon. 

The  young  auctioneers  soon  learned  that  a  rival 
party  of  auctioneers  with  a  large  two-horse  wagon 
had  stopped  at  the  town  during  the  entire  previous 
week,  and  sold  goods  which  were  next  to  worthless, 
for  the  highest  prices  to  be  obtained.  They  had 
been  cool  and  shrewd  men,  thoroughly  dishonest, 
and  they  had  swindled  every  one  who  had  had  deal- 
ings with  them. 

"  And  where  did  they  go  to  ?"  asked  Andy,  of 
the  German,  after  the  matter  had  been  talked  over 
for  some  time. 

"  Ve  ton't  know.  Of  ve  did  ve  vould  tar  an' 
fedder  clem,  py  chiminy  !"  was  the  emphatic  reply. 

"That  settles  it.  we  won't  be  able  to  do  any  busi- 
ness here,"  said  Matt,  and  though  they  remained  in 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  239 

Bethlehem  the  remainder  of  that  day  and  all  of  the 
next,  his  words  proved  true.  Only  a  few  trifles 
were  sold,  and  these  at  prices  that  did  not  reimburse 

them  for  the  trouble  of  handling. 

Seeing  that  it  would  not  pay  to  remain  in  the 
town  longer,  they  started  once  more  on  the  road, 
and  by  the  end  of  the  week  found  themselves 
established  in  a  store  in  Allentown,  and  doing  quite 
a  good  business. 

While  in  this  city  Andy  made  a  trip  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  had  several  more  cases  of  goods  shipped 
on,  which  Matt  was  careful  to  procure  before  they 
might  be  stolen  from  the  freight  depot.  The  wagon 
was  also  sent  to  a  repair  shop  and  thoroughly  over- 
hauled, for  the  roads  beyond  Allentown  promised 
to  be  rougher  than  those  heretofore  traversed. 

Both  Matt  and  Andy  were  curious  to  know  more 
about  the  rival  auctioneers,  and  they  wondered  if 
they  would  meet  the  men.  Nothing  had  been  heard 
of  them  in  Allentown,  so  that  their  business  in  that 
city  was  not  injured.  They  did  fairly  well,  although 
a  strike  in  some  of  the  mills  made  business  duller 
than  it  would  otherwise  have  been. 

But  both  of  the  partners  thought  they  had  no 
cause  for  complaint.  During  the  time  they  had 
been  away  from  home  they  had  cleared,  above  all 
expenses,    one    hundred    and    seventy-two    dollars, 


240  THE  YO  UNQ  A  UCTIONEER. 

which,  equally  divided,  was  eighty-six  dollars 
apiece — not  a  fortune,  but  still  an  amount  which 
Matt  at  least  viewed  with  considerable  satisfaction. 

"  If  we  do  as  well  right  straight  through,"  he 
said,  as  he  and  Andy  talked  it  over  on  their  way  to 
Lehighton  and  Mauch  Chunk,  "  we  will  have  quite 
an  amount  to  place  to  our  credit  in  the  bank  by  the 
time  we  reach  New  York  again." 

"  I  am  in  hopes  that  we  will  do  even  better  as 
cold  weather  comes  on,"  returned  Andy.  "  Folks 
seem  to  buy  more  then — I  don't  know  why.  And 
besides,  after  stopping  at  Mauch  Chunk,  we  will 
onlv  go  to  large  places,  for  I  think  it  will  pay  to 
skip  the  smaller  ones." 

"I  don't  know  but  what  you  are  right.  I  know 
one  thing  that  I  am  going  to  do  when  I  get  to 
Mauch  Chunk — that  is,  if  business  continues  good." 

"  And  what  is  that  ?" 

"  I  am  going  to  buy  a  post-office  order  and  send 
Miss  Bartlett  the  money  she  so  kindly  loaned  me. 
Won't  she  be  surprised  to  get  it  back  so  soon  ?" 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  Matt.  It  was  very  kind  of  her 
to  loan  it  to  you.  I  suppose  you  are  going  to  pay 
her  the  interest " 

"  For  the  full  year,"  finished  the  boy.  And  at 
Christmas,  if  I  can  do  it,  I'm  going  to  make  her 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  241 

some  sort  of  a  nice  present.  She  is  the  only  friend 
I  had  left  in  JNTew  York.1' 

"  A  very  nice  young  lady,"  returned  Ancty,  and 
then  he  went  on,  with  a  short  laugh  :  "  I  wonder 
what  old  Caleb  Gulligan  would  say  if  he  knew  of 
our  prosperity  V 

"  And  I  wonder  what  Mr.  Kandolph  Fenton 
would  say  if  he  knew  how  I  was  doing?  I  hope 
when  I  write  to  Miss  Bartlett  that  she  lets  him 
know,"  went  on  Matt.  "  I  suppose  he  thought  that 
after  he  discharged  me  I  would  go  to  the  dogs." 

"  Yes,  men  like  him  very  often  imagine  the  world 
cannot  possibly  get  along  without  them.  I  reckon 
you  are  glad  that  you  are  no  longer  in  his  employ." 

"  Glad  isn't  a  strong  enough  word,  Andy.  It 
makes  me  shudder  to  look  back  at  the  times  I  spent 
in  his  offices,  being  bossed  around  and  scolded  from 
morning  to  night." 

"  I  think  traveling  around  has  clone  us  both  a 
deal  of  good,  Matt.  I  feel  stronger  than  I  have  in 
years,  and  you  look  the  picture  of  health,  barring 
those  bruises  you  received  from  Barberry  and  his 
companions." 

"Oh,  I  feel  fine!  Outdoor  life  always  did  agree 
with  me.  When  I  was  in  Fen  ton's  offices  I  felt 
very  much  like  a  prisoner  in  a  jail.  I  wouldn't  go 
back  to  that  life  again  for  the  world !" 


242  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER* 

Thus  the  talk  ran  on,  from  one  subject  to  another. 
Andy  had  given  his  young  partner  the  full  particu- 
lars of  his  own  roving  life,  and  in  return  Matt  had 
related  everything  concerning  himself,  and  the  two 
felt  as  if  they  had  known  each  other  for  years  ;  in 
fact,  as  Matt  once  stated  later  on,  they  were  more 
like  brothers  than  mere  partners  in  business. 

Andy  was  deeply  interested  in  the  fact  of  Mr. 
Lincoln's  disappearance,  and  he  wondered  nearly  as 
much  as  did  Matt  himself  if  the  unfortunate  man 
would  ever  turn  up  again. 

As  for  the  boy,  he  could  not  bring  himself  to  be- 
lieve that  his  parent  was  dead,  and  although  he 
rarely  mentioned  his  father's  name,  he  was  con- 
stantly on  the  watch  for  him,  and  often  when  they 
were  stopping  at  a  place  he  would  go  off  on  what 
he  termed  a  "  still  hunt,"  hoping  thereby  to  pick  up 
a  stray  bit  of  information  which  would  put  him  on 
the  right  track  to  learn  of  his  father's  where- 
abouts. 

The  drive  up  through  Walnut  Port  to  Lehigh 
Gap  was  very  nice.  At  the  latter  place  they  stopped 
over  night,  and  then  pushed  on  to  Lehighton,  some- 
times along  the  river,  and  then  by  way  of  a  road 
through  and  around  the  mountains. 

"  This  scenery  is  just  grand  !"  cried  Matt,  as  they 
were  driving  on  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  \k\:\ 

"Just  look  at  that  mountain  over  yonder!     And 
see  how  the  river  winds  along  through  the  valley 

below  here !" 

"  It  is  very  fine,  indeed  I11  returned  Andy.  "  Bu1 
I'll  tell  you  what:  I  would  rather  be  on  horseback 
than  in  the  wagon.  It  seems  to  me  that  some  of 
the  bends  around  the  mountain  side  are  positively 
dangerous." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  not,  Andy.  Why,  look,  there  is  a 
regular  wagon  road.  If  other  wagons  can  pass 
along  here,  I  fancy  we  can  do  so,  too." 

"  Other  wagons  may  not  be  as  heavy  as  ours,  with 
that  big  case  tied  on  behind.  Don't  you  notice  how 
Billy  slips  every  once  in  awhile  2" 

"Well,  we  might  have  had  him  shod  sharp  when 
we  had  the  wagon  overhauled,"  returned  Matt 
slowly,  as  he  noticed  for  the  first  time  that  Billy  did 
slip  more  than  usual.  "  We  can  have  it  done  dar- 
ing our  stop  at  Mauch  Chunk  or  at  Lehighton,  if  it 
becomes  necessary.  Maybe  we  are  on  the  wrong- 
road  again." 

"  Well,  certainly  this  road  is  growing  worse  in- 
stead of  better,"  said  Andy  soberly.  "  Just  look  at 
that  turn  ahead  !  The  road  isn't  over  ten  feet  wide, 
and  it  slopes  down  to  that  steep  hill " 

"  Drive  as  close  to  the  inside  wall  as  you  can," 
was    Matt's   somewhat    nervous    reply,   as   he   saw 


244  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

the  possible  danger  ahead.  "  Steady  now,  Billy, 
steady !" 

The  horse  moved  along  slowly  up  to  the  curve 
which  ran  around  the  mountain  side.  As  Andy 
had  said,  the  road  at  this  point  was  scarcely  ten 
feet  wide,  and  on  the  other  side  was  a  steep  down- 
ward slope,  terminating  below  at  a  tiny  brook  filled 
with  loose  rocks. 

The  curve  was  reached,  and  the  two  were  just 
congratulating  themselves  upon  having  passed  the 
dangerous  spot  in  safety,  when  a  large  bird,  flying 
from  a  near-by  bush,  frightened  Billy  and  caused 
him  to  shy  to  one  side. 

In  another  instant  the  wagon  was  at  the  very 
edge  of  the  slope  ! 


THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER.  245 


CHAPTER   XXXIL 


AN    INTERESTING    LETTER. 


To  Andy  and  Matt  it  looked  as  if  the  entire  turn- 
out must  slide  down  the  hillside  to  the  bottom,  there 
to  be  smashed  into  a  hundred  pieces. 

It  was  small  wonder,  therefore,  that  both  gave  a 
loud  cry  of  alarm  and  that  both  caught  at  the  lines 
to  lead  Billy  away  from  the  danger  so  imminento 

The  horse  continued  to  move  ahead,  but  instead 
of  drawing  closer  to  the  inside,  he  walked  upon  the 
very  outer  edge  of  the  road. 

"  I'll  lead  him  !"  cried  Andy,  and  while  Matt  con- 
tinued to  hold  the  lines,  he  sprang  out  and  caught 
Billy  by  the  bridle. 

Ordinarily,  the  faithful  animal  would  have  come 
along  willingly,  but  he  now  seemed  to  grow  obsti- 
nate, and  pulled  back  when  Andy  caught  hold.  The 
wagon  stopped,  and  then  the  rear  wheels  were  sent 
partly  down  the  slope. 

"  Pull  him  up  I"  cried  Matt.     "  Pull  him,  Andy  !" 


241  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 

ft  He  won't  conic  !"  gasped  Andy,  tugging  at  the 
bridle  with  might  and  main. 

"  But  lie  must  come  !  The  wagon  will  go  down 
in  another  second  1" 

"  I  can't  help  it,  I  can't  make  him  come,"  panted 
Andy,  between  his  clinched  teeth,  as  he  renewed 
the  struggle  to  bring  the  wagon  up  on  the  level 
once  more. 

Tying  the  lines  fast,  Matt  sprang  out.  He  had 
seen  a  loose  stone  of  fair  size  close  at  hand,  and  this 
he  now  picked  up.  Running  around  to  the  rear  of 
the  wagon,  he  placed  it  on  the  sloping  ground  so 
that  one  of  the  wheels  was  blocked  from  further 
slipping. 

"  Good !"  cried  Andy.  "  Can  you  find  another 
stone  r 

"  I'm  going  to  push  on  the  other  wheel.  Get  up, 
Billy,  get  up  there !" 

Matt  placed  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel,  and  ex- 
erted all  of  his  strength,  and  seeing  this,  Andy  also 
urged  the  horse.  Billy  gave  a  tug — there  was  a 
moment's  strain — and  then  the  turn-out  rolled  up 
once  more  upon  the  level  road. 

"  Thank  goodness  for  that !"  burst  out  Andy. 
"  I  thought  for  a  moment  that  it  was  a  goner  !" 

"  So  did  I,  Andy.  You  had  better  lead  him  until 
we  reach  a  safer  bit  of  the  road." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  247 

"  I  intend  to  do  that.  Ynd  after  this  I'll  know 
enough  to  lead  him  around  such  a  bend,  instead  of 
taking  such  a  dangerous  chance." 

Only  a  hundred  feet  further  on  the  mountain  road 
left  the  proximity  of  the  slope,  and  then  the  two 
once  more  climbed  up  on  the  seat.  Billy,  the 
horse,  did  not  appear  to  be  in  the  least  disturbed 
over  the  adventure,  but  Matt  and  Andy  were  bathed 
in  a  cold  perspiration  which  did  not  leave  them  until 
some  time  after. 

At  Lehigh  ton,  where  they  stopped  for  dinner, 
they  determined  to  drive  right  through  to  Mauch 
Chunk,  four  miles  further  on.  Many  people  from 
the  former  place  did  their  trading  at  Mauch  Chunk, 
and  the  young  auctioneers  thought  they  would 
catch  just  as  much  trade  by  not  stopping  on  the 
way. 

At  Mauch  Chunk  a  stop  was  made  for  three  days, 
and  during  that  time  there  were  several  excursions 
to  the  place  from  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  the 
city  folks  coming  up  to  see  the  autumnal  beauties 
of  Glen  Onoko  and  the  various  mountains  through 
which  the  Switchback  gravity  road  runs.  These 
crowds  helped  business  some,  and  the  stay  proved 
nearly  as  profitable  as  the  one  at  Easton  had  been. 

On  the  first  day  at  Mauch  Chunk  Matt  procured 
the  money  order  of  which  he  haul  spoken,  and  sent 


248  THE  YO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

it  to  Ida  Bartlett,  with  a  long  letter,  in  which  he 
thanked  her  for  her  kindness,  and  gave  her  an 
account  of  the  trip  since  leaving  the  metropolis. 
He  stated  that  if  she  wished  to  write  to  him  within 
the  week  to  address  the  letter  to  Wilkesbarre,  or, 
on  the  following  week  to  Scranton,  as  they  were 
bound  for  both  places. 

During  their  spare  hours  both  Andy  and  Matt 
took  the  ride  on  the  gravity  road  and  enjoyed  it 
very  much.  The  rhododendrons  were  out  in  full 
bloom,  and  Matt  wished  he  could  send  Ida  Bartlett 
a  bunch  of  the  beautiful  flowers. 

They  were  soon  once  again  on  the  road.  But 
Billy's  shoes  had  been  carefully  attended  to,  and 
now  they  were  very  careful  whenever  they  came  to 
a  spot  that  looked  at  all  dangerous. 

"  One  scare  is  enough,"  was  the  way  Andy  put  it, 
and  Matt  thoroughly  agreed  with  him. 

After  leaving  Mauch  Chunk  they  passed  through 
Penn  Haven  and  Leslie  Eun,  and  so  on  to  White 
Haven.  At  the  latter  place  they  stopped  for  two 
days,  but  found  it  very  unprofitable,  as  there  was 
little  or  no  money  afloat. 

"  Well,  we  have  to  take  the  bad  with  the  good," 
said  Andy,  in  reply  to  Matt's  remark  concerning 
the  dullness  of  trade.  "We  cannot  expect  to  make 
money  wherever  we  go.     If  that  was  to  be  done,  I 


THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER.  249 

reckon  there  would  be  many  other  auctioneers  in 
the  field." 

"  That  reminds  me  :  I  wonder  what  has  become 
of  those  auctioneers  we  heard  of  in  Bethlehem?" 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know.  But  it  is  likely  that  we 
will  hear  from  them  again,  sooner  or  later." 

On  leaving  White  Haven  for  Wilkesbarre,  they 
struck  the  first  snow-storm  of  the  season.  It  was 
not  a  heavy  storm,  and  yet,  as  the  wind  blew  in 
their  faces,  the  drive  of  thirty  miles  proved  any- 
thing but  pleasant.  They  were  glad  enough  when 
the  city  was  reached,  and  they  were  able  to  put  up 
the  turn-out  at  a  livery  stable  and  warm  up  around 
the  office  stove. 

"  We  won't  be  able  to  travel  much  longer,  if  this 
keeps  on,"  remarked  Andy.  "  We'll  have  to  pick 
out  some  place  to  settle  down  in  for  the  winter." 

"  Have  you  any  place  in  view?"  asked  Matt,  with 
interest. 

"  I've  had  my  eye  on  Middletown,  New  York 
State.  That's  a  lively  place,  and  it  gets  a  trade 
from  a  good  many  miles  around." 

"  Do  you  think  we  can  make  it  ?" 

"  I  think  so.  We  can  go  from  Scranton  to  Car- 
bondale,  and  Honesdale,  and  so  on  through  Lacka- 
waxen  and  Port  Jervis.     By  taking  that  route  we 


250  THE  TQVNQ  AUCTIONEER 

can  stop  on  the  way  and  still  reach  Middletown  in- 
side of  two  weeks." 

"Well,  I  shouldn't  like  to  miss  a  letter  from  Miss 
Bartlett,  if  it  was  sent." 

"  You  can  leave  directions  to  forward  it  if  it  comes 
after  we  are  gone.  The  post-office  authorities  will 
willingly  send  the  letter  wherever  von  direct." 

"Perhaps  she  has  already  written." 

"If  you  think  so,  why  don't  you  call  at  the  post- 
office  and  find  out  ?" 

"  I  will — as  soon  as  we  have  had  something  to  eat 
and  drink.'1 

They  passed  over  to  the  Commercial  Hotel,  and 
after  brushing  up,  entered  the  dining-room.  Here 
a  late  dinner  was  served  for  them,  and  it  is  needless 
to  say  that  both  did  full  justice  to  all  that  was  set 
before  them. 

After  they  had  finished  Andy  went  off  to  hunt 
up  an  empty  store,  and  Matt,  after  securing  direc- 
tions, walked  off  to  the  post-office. 

To  his  delight,  there  was  a  letter  for  him,  and 
addressed  in  Ida  Bartlett's  hand.  As  it  was  the 
first  letter  he  had  received  since  being  on  the  road, 
the  reader  can  understand  his  curiosity  to  master  its 
contents.  Standing  back  in  an  out-of-the-way  spot 
of  the  corridor,  he  split  open  the  envelope  with  his 


THE  TOUNO  AUCTIONEER,  251 

penknife,  and  was  soon  reading  that  which  had  heen 
written. 

The  letter  surprised  him  not  a  little,  After 
acknowledging  the  receipt  of  the  money  order  and 
congratulating  him  upon  his  evident  success,  Ida 
Bartlett  wrote  as  follows  : 

"  And  now,  Matt,  I  am  going  to  tell  yon  some- 
thing that  I  think  will  interest  you  even  more  than 
it  does  me.  It  is  about  Mr.  Fenton  and  the  mining 
shares  which  he  once  sold  your  father.  Last  week 
Mr.  Gaston,  the  bookkeeper,  had  a  quarrel  with  Mr. 
Fenton,  and  was  discharged.  Before  he  left,  how- 
ever, he  and  Mr.  Fenton  had  some  high  words, 
which  I,  being  in  the  next  office,  could  not  help 
hearing. 

"  During  this  quarrel  something  was  said  about 
the  shares  sold  to  William  Lincoln,  and  Mr.  Gaston 
said  that  if  the  papers  in  connection  with  the  shares 
which  your  father  had  bought  could  be  recovered, 
he  would  expose  Mr.  Fenton.  I  could  not  under- 
stand the  whole  drift  of  the  matter,  but  Mr.  Fenton 
seemed  to  be  glad  that  your  father  was  missing — he 
said  he  was  most  likely  dead— and  that  the  papers 
had  disappeared  with  him. 

"Do  you  know  anything  of  the  papers?  Mr. 
Gaston  has  gone  to  Boston,  but  I  could  write  to  him 
if  you  think  that  Mr.  Fenton  is  a  swindler  and  that 
you  can  get  back  any  money  which  he  may  have 
defrauded  your  father  out  of.  I  myself  am  going 
to  leave  Mr.  Fenton's  employ  on  the  first  of  next 
month,  having  secured  a  better  place  with  another 
firm  of  brokers.  Let  me  hear  from  you  again  as 
soon  as  possible.  I  hope  if  he  has  any  money 
belonging  to  your  father  you  can  get  it." 


252  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEK    XXXIII. 

THE     RIVAL     AUCTIONEEES. 

It  may  well  be  imagined  that  Matt  read  Ida 
Bartlett's  letter  with  great  interest.  The  young 
auctioneer  had  never  received  a  communication  as 
surprising  as  was  this  one. 

He  went  over  every  word  carefully  several  times> 
then  placed  the  letter  in  his  pocket,  and  started  off 
to  find  Andy. 

Half  an  hour  later  he  came  across  his  partner  on 
the  main  street.  Andy  had  just  rented  a  store,  one 
of  two  vacant  ones  which  were  side  by  side,  and 
was  now  on  his  way  to  drive  the  wagon  around  and 
unload  the  stock. 

"  Well,  did  you  get  a  letter,  Matt  ?" 

"  I  did." 

"  Good  enough.     Any  special  news  ?" 

"  Yes,  indeed.     Just  read  that." 

And  the  young  auctioneer  passed  the  communica- 
tion over  for  his  partner's  perusal, 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTION BE 11.  2do 

Andy  read  the  letter  as  carefully  as  had  Matt. 
He  emitted  a  long,  low  whistle. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it?" 

"  I  hardly  know  what  to  think,  Matt.  Do  you 
know  anything  about  this  mining  share  business  ?" 

"  I  know  that  Randolph  Fenton  sold  my  father 
some  shares,  that  is  all.  I  never  saw  the  certifi- 
cates, if  that  is  what  they  are  called." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  the  papers  in  connection  with 
the  shares  ?" 

"  No." 

"  Then  they  must  have  been  in  your  father's 
possession  when  he  disappeared." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that.  Mother  might  have 
had  them  when  father  was  first  sent  to  the  asylum 
for  treatment.  Although  I  remember  hearing  her 
once  say  that  since  father's  mind  had  become 
affected  he  would  not  trust  any  one  with  his  affairs, 
but  kept  all  his  money  and  papers  hidden  away." 

"  It's  too  bad  you  haven't  the  papers." 

"  That's  so.  If  I  had  them  I  would  hunt  up  Mr. 
Gaston,  and  get  him  to  expose  Randolph  Fenton." 

"  It  might  pay  you  to  do  that  anyway." 

"  I  don't  know.  If  there  was  any  likelihood  of 
this  being  the  case,  I  think  Miss  Bartlett  would 
have  written  to  that  effect." 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  ?" 


254  THE  YOVNO  AUCTIONEER.    . 

"I  am  going  to  write  to  her  again,  telling  her 
just  how  matters  stand  with  me,  and  ask  her  if  she 
thinks  it  will  do  any  good  for  me  to  come  on.  If 
she  thinks  it  will,  I'll  try  to  manage  it  some  way  to 
take  a  run  to  New  York." 

"  You  can  do  that  whenever  you  wish,  Matt.  I 
will  take  care  of  things  the  same  as  you  did  when 
I  was  gone.1' 

On  the  way  to  the  stable  where  the  wagon  and 
Billy  were  located  they  talked  the  matter  over  at  a 
greater  length.  Andy  took  a  warm  personal  inter- 
est in  the  matter,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  say  so. 

uIf  this  Fenton  swindled  your  father,  I  trust  you 
are  able  to  prove  it  and  get  your  money  back,'1  he 
said.  "  I  don't  know  of  any  one  that  deserves 
money  more  than  you  do." 

The  wagon  was  soon  driven  around  to  the  store, 
and  the  goods  unloaded.  Then  the  show-window 
and  the  shelves  were  arranged  to  attract  the  eye. 
after  which  Andy  hung  out  the  red  flag,  which  now 
began  to  look  to  the  young  auctioneers  like  an  old 
friend. 

As  soon  as  everything  was  in  shape  for  business 
Matt  brought  out  paper,  pen  and  ink,  and  set  to 
work  upon  the  letter  to  Ida  Bartlett.  At  first  he 
hardly  knew  how  to  express  himself,  but  before  he 
had  finished  he  had  filled  eight  pages,  and  told  the 


7'///.;  TOVNQ  AUCTIONEER.  255 

young  lady  exactly  how  matters  stood.  lie  begged 
for  her  further  assistance,  and  assured  her  that  she 
should  not  lose  through  her  kindness  to  him. 

The  letter  finished,  Matt  did  not  place  it  in  a 
letterTbox,  but  marched  with  it  to  the  post-office, 
that  it  might  be  included  with  the  first  out-going 
New  York  mail. 

"  If  I  only  could  find  father,"  he  sighed  to  him- 
self as  he  turned  back  to  the  store.  "  Something  in 
my  heart  tells  me  that  he  is  not  dead,  and  yet,  if 
this  is  so,  where  can  he  be?" 

On  arriving  at  the  store  he  found  Andy  already 
busy  with  a  crowd  which  had  begun  to  collect  the 
moment  that  the  red  flag  was  hung  out.  Matt  had 
to  begin  work  at  once,  and  this  was  a  good  thing 
for  the  boy,  for  it  kept  him  from  brooding  over  his 
parent's  possible  fate  and  thus  growing  melancholy. 

"  If  I  am  any  kind  of  a  judge,  we  are  going  to  do 
the  best  business  yet  at  this  city,"  said  Andy,  as 
there  came  a  little  lull  in  trade.  "  It  started  off 
briskly,  and  it  has  kept  on  steadily  ever  since." 

"  Well,  that  just  suits  me,"  laughed  Matt.  "  To 
my  way  of  thinking  we  cannot  do  too  much  busi- 
ness." 

During  the  next  day  Matt  noticed  two  sharp- 
eyed  men  hanging  around  the  place   a  good   deal. 


256  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

At  first  he  paid  no  attention  to  them,  but  at  last 
pointed  them  out  to  Andy. 

"  Yes,  I  noticed  them  m\Tself,"  returned  the  senior 
partner.  "  They  do  not  look  as  if  they  wanted  to 
buy,  but  just  as  if  the}r  were  spying.1' 

"  Supposing  I  call  them  in  and  ask  them  to  buy  ?" 
suggested  Matt,  for  both  of  the  men  were  at  that 
moment  gazing  in  the  window  at  the  articles  dis- 
played there. 

"  Certainly,  you  can  do  that  if  you  want  to," 
returned  Andy. 

So  Matt  walked  from  behind  the  counter  toward 
the  door,  but  before  he  could  reach  it  one  of  the 
men  saw  him  and  spoke  to  his  companion,  and  both 
hurried  up  the  street  and  around  the  nearest  corner. 

"  Humph  !  that's  queer,  to  say  the  least,"  said  the 
young  auctioneer,  and  Andy  agreed  with  him. 

There  had  been  a  "  To  Let"  bill  upon  the  show- 
window  of  the  vacant  store  next  door,  but  on  the 
following  morning  when  the  young  auctioneers 
opened  up  they  found  the  bill  gone.  The  door  of 
the  store  was  open,  and  inside  a  boy  somewhat 
younger  than  Matt  was  cleaning  up. 

u  Hullo !"  cried  Matt,  stopping  short.  Then  he 
poked  his  head  in  at  the  door  and  confronted  the 
boy. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  257 

"  So  we  are  going  to  have  neighbors,  eh  V  he 
remarked  pleasantly. 

"  Bet  your  life  !"  was  the  slangy  reply  from  the 
boy,  as  soon  as  he  had  noted  who  had  addressed 
him.     "  You  didn't  expect  us,  did  you  ?" 

"  No,  I  didn't  know  the  store  was  taken  until  a 
moment  ago,"  said  Matt. 

"  Well,  it  can't  be  helped.  It  was  the  only  store 
vacant  in  the  neighborhood." 

"  Can't  be  helped  if"  repeated  Matt,  somewhat 
puzzled.     "  What  do  you  mean?" 

"  Oh,  I  thought  you  might  object  to  our  opening 
up  alongside  of  you." 

"  I  don't  see  why  I  should.  What  business  are 
you  in  ?" 

"  Same  line." 

Matt  was  taken  aback  somewhat  by  this  unex- 
pected reply,  and  his  face  showed  it. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  you  are  going  to  open  an 
auction  store  here  ?" 

"  That's  it,  and  we  are  going  to  make  it  everlast- 
ingly warm  for  you  fellows,  too,"  went  on  the  boy 
triumphantly.  "  We've  been  a-watching  how  you 
run  things,  and  we  are  going  to  scoop  every  bit  of 
trade  when  we  get  started." 

Matt  drew  a  long  breath.  Here  was  certainly  a 
new  experience.     He  and  Andy  had  expected  to 


258  THE  TO  UKG  A  Vt  TloXEER. 

encounter  rivals,  but  had  never  dreamed  of  having 
them  at  such  close  quarters. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  we  will  have  to  stand  it,"  he 
said,  hardly  knowing  how  else  to  reply  to  the  boy's 
bragging  statement. 

"If  I  was  you  I'd  pack  up  and  try  some  other 
place,"  went  on  the  boy.  "  GisseiH  ct  Fillow  will 
take  every  bit  of  trade — they  always  do  wherever 
they  go." 

"  Gissem  &  Fillow  ?  Are  those  the  names  of  the 
men  who  run  the  concern  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  they  are  the  slickest  auctioneers  in 
the  country." 

"  Perhaps  you  only  think  so." 

"Oh,  I  know  it.  I'll  bet  you  a  new  hat  you 
don't  take  in  a  dollar  after  we  get  a-going." 

"  Thank  you,  but  I  don't  bet.  May  I  ask  where 
you  came  from  ?" 

"  We  came  from  Stroudsburg." 

"  Were  you  down  in  Bethlehem  before  that  ?*? 

"  Yes.     How  did  you  know  that?" 

"  We  came  through  there  after  you  had  gone." 

"  Bet  you  didn't  sell  anything.  We  squeezed  the 
town  dry." 

"  We  didn't  sell  much,"  returned  Matt.  He  was 
on  the  point  of  stating  that  he  had  heard  how  the 


/7/ a;  rotrm  Atrcftoxmm.  %$% 

folks  had  been  swindled,  but  he  changed  his  mind. 
"  Flow  long  do  you  expect  to  remain  here?" 

"Oh,  a  week  or  so.  You  might  as  well  pack  up 
and  leave." 

"  I  guess  we  will  venture  to  remain,  at  least  a  day 
or  two  longer,'1  said  Matt.  "  Perhaps  we'll  be  able 
to  do  a  little  in  spite  of  you." 

At  that  moment  a  large  wagon  began  to  back  up 
to  the  curb.  The  seat  was  occupied  by  two  men, 
and  Matt  at  once  recognized  them  as  the  fellows  he 
had  caught  hangingaround  the  previous  day.  They 
were  the  rival  auctioneers,  who  had  been  watch- 
ing to  learn  how  Matt  and  Andy  conducted  their 
business. 


260  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER, 


CHAPTEK  XXXIY. 

MATT     SPEAKS      HIS     MIND. 

Matt  did  not  wait  to  encounter  the  rival  auction- 
eers, but  walked  away  and  entered  the  door  of  his 
own  store.  Andy  was  busy,  dusting  up,  and  to  his 
partner  he  told  what  he  had  heard. 

"  Phew  !"  whistled  Andy.  "  That  will  make  mat- 
ters rather  interesting.  Is  that  their  wagon  out 
there?" 

"  I  suppose  it  is.  Those  are  the  same  two  men,  I 
am  certain." 

"  Yes,  they  are.  Well,  if  they  are  the  swindlers 
folks  in  Bethlehem  said  they  were  we  ought  not  to 
fear  them.  People  are  not  fools,  and  they  soon 
learn  if  a  man  is  honest  or  not." 

"  They  may  take  away  a  good  bit  of  trade,  never- 
theless, Andy.  And  we  were  just  congratulating 
ourselves  on  what  a  fine  week  we  wTere  going  to 
have." 

"  We  must  do  our  best,  Matt.  This  puts  me  on 
my  mettle." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  261 

They  talked  the  matter  over  a  bit,  and  then  set 
to  work  to  "  put  their  best  foot  forward,"  as  Andy 
termed  it.  The  window  was  cleaned  as  it  had  never 
been  cleaned  before,  and  also  the  show-cases  and 
shelves,  and  then  they  proceeded  to  make  the  most 
elaborate  display  possible. 

"  There  ;  that  ought  to  attract  people,  if  anything 
will,"  remarked  Andy,  when  the  work  was  finished. 

"  You  are  right ;  the  window  couldn't  look  better. 
But  perhaps  they  will  put  out  big  price  signs." 

"  Never  mind,  they  can't  afford  to  sell  any  cheaper 
than  we  can.  I  bought  all  the  goods  at  bottom 
figures.     Let  us  start  up  before  they  get  ready." 

They  began  to  play  on  several  instruments,  and 
as  soon  as  half  a  dozen  people  were  collected  Andy 
began  to  talk  and  tell  jokes.  Before  the  rival  auc- 
tioneers had  their  stock  inside  of  their  store  Matt 
and  Andy  were  doing  a  pretty  fair  business. 

Seeing  this,  Gissem  &  Fillow  hurried  up  their 
preparations,  and  by  noon  both  places  were  "  going 
it  for  all  they  were  worth,"  as  Matt  expressed  it. 

Gissem  seemed  to  be  the  principal  member  of  the 
firm,  Fillow  and  the  boy  being  merely  helpers.  He 
was  a  tall,  thin-faced  and  clean-shaven  man,  with 
hard,  steely-blue  eyes. 

"  This  way  for  bargains !"  he  cried  out,  coming 
out  upon   the  sidewalk.     "This   way,  gents  and 


262  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

ladies  !  The  only  place  in  Wilkesbarre  selling  reli- 
able goods  at  rock-bottom  figures!  Don't  be  de- 
ceived by  rival  concerns  trying  to  obtain  a  bit  of 
our  well-earned  prosperity  !  Come  right  in  and  be 
convinced  !"  And  he  kept  on  in  this  strain  for  fully 
five  minutes. 

"Well,  that  is  what  I  call  downright  mean,"  cried 
Matt  to  Andy.  "  Of  course  all  these  cracks  at  rival 
concerns  are  meant  for  us.  He  wants  to  draw  the 
crowd  away  from  us." 

"More  than  that,  he  is  trying  to  scare  them,  so 
that  if  they  won't  patronize  him  they  won't  pur- 
chase anywhere,"  returned  the  senior  partner.  "  It 
is  certainly  not  a  fair  way  to  do." 

"  Can't  we  stop,  him,  Andy  ?" 

"I  don't  see  how.     He  has  mentioned  no  names." 

Andy  began  to  talk,  but  as  he  was  inside  of  the 
store  while  Gissem  was  outside,  very  few  of  the 
people  on  the  street  were  attracted.  They  made 
several  sales  to  those  inside,  but  after  the  purchasers 
were  gone  the  store  was  empty.  In  the  meantime, 
the  next  place  was  filled  to  overflowing. 

"  Let  us  give  them  a  tune,"  suggested  Matt.  "  I 
see  our  rivals  have  no  musical  instruments." 

He  brought  out  a  banjo,  and  Andy  took  up  the 
largest  accordion  in  the  place.     Sitting  down  in  a 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  2(33 

spot  from  which  the  music  could  float  out  of  the 
door,  they  played  several  of  their  best  selections. 

The  music  pleased  many  people.  They  stopped 
listening  to  Gissem,  and  after  some  hesitation  several 
came  in.  More  followed,  and  seeing  this,  Matt  and 
Andy  kept  on  until  the  store  was  once  more  filled. 

Then  Matt  began  to  talk.  He  made  no  wild 
statements,  but  in  an  earnest  manner  told  what  they 
had  to  sell,  and  asked  those  around  him  to  examine 
the  goods  carefully. 

"That  fellow  next  door  said  to  beware  of  rival 
concerns,"  remarked  a  man  in  the  crowd  slyly,  and 
several  smiled  at  the  words. 

"  Well,  I  take  it  that  people  are  bright  enough  to 
know  what  they  are  doing,"  returned  Matt.  "We 
are  too  busy  to  talk  about  our  neighbors.  We  are 
here  to  show  what  we  have  and  sell  goods — if  we 
can.  We  do  not  misrepresent,  and  if  any  one  is  dis- 
satisfied with  his  purchase  he  can  return  it  and  get 
his  money  back.     Isn't  that  fair  enough  ?" 

"  I  reckon  it  is." 

"  We  carry  a  large  stock,  as  you  can  see,  and  we 
sell  everything  for  what  it  is." 

"  Let  me  see  those  spoons,  will  you  ?"  questioned 
a  man  standing  beside  the  one  talking  to  Matt. 

"  Certainly,  sir,,,  and  the  young  auctioneer  handed 
over  several  samples. 


264  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Are  these  triple  plated  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  they  are  single  plated,  on  white 
metal." 

"  Then  they  are  just  as  good  as  triple  plated  ?" 

"  Almost  as  good,  for  ordinary  wear.  Here  are 
some  that  are  triple  plated." 

"  I  know  they  are." 

"  Oh,  you  do." 

"  Yes,  I  know  all  about  spoons,  for  I  used  to  be 
in  the  plating  business.  I  only  asked  to  see  what 
you  would  say.  That  man  next  door  tried  to  sell 
my  friend  some  single  plated  ones  for  triple  plated. 
I  brought  him  in  here  to  see  what  you  had  to  say 
about  your  stock." 

"  Well,  I  have  not  misrepresented,  have  I  ?" 

"  No  ;  you  have  told  the  exact  truth.  John,  if 
you  want  any  spoons,  you  might  as  well  buy  them 
here,  for  I  see  they  are  put  at  a  very  reasonable 
figure." 

Upon  this,  the  man  who  had  first  spoken  began  to 
pick  out  some  of  the  goods.  What  his  friend  had 
said  had  been  heard  by  the  crowd,  who  now  began 
to  feel  more  like  trusting  in  what  the  young  auction- 
eers might  have  to  say. 

Matt  sold  the  spoons,  and  in  the  meantime  Andy 
put  up  a  number  of  other  articles  at  auction,  and 
sold  them  at  fairly  good  prices. 


THE  TO  UNO  A  UCTIONEER.  265 

They  managed  to  keep  busy  until  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon,  when  trade  fell  off  once  more.  See- 
ing this,  Andy  prepared  to  go  out  to  dinner.  He 
had  just  put  on  his  hat  when  Gissem,  the  rival 
auctioneer,  rushed  in. 

"  See  here,  I  want  to  talk  to  you  two  fellows  !" 
he  blustered. 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ?"  questioned  Matt,  as  coolly  as 
he  could. 

"  You've  been  telling  people  I  tried  to  stick  a 
man  on  a  lot  of  tin-plated  spoons,  saying  they  were 
solid  silver." 

"  Who  said  so  ?" 

"  Never  mind  who  said  so.  Let  me  tell  you  I 
ain't  going  to  stand  such  work." 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,  but  we  circulated  no  such  story," 
interrupted  Andy.  "  We  know  enough  to  mind  our 
own  business." 

"  But  they  told  me  one  or  the  other  of  you  had 
said  so.  We  won't  stand  that — we'll  have  you  ar- 
rested for — for  defamation  of  character  !"  stormed 
the  rival  auctioneer,  working  himself  up  into  a  fine 
pitch  of  assumed  indignation. 

"  We  have  said  nothing  concerning  you,"  said 
Matt.  "  We  have  not  even  advised  people  to  be- 
ware of  our  rivals,  nor  have  we  mentioned  your  stop 


266  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONRR& 

in  Bethlehem,  and  how  the  folks  of  that  town 
regarded  your  doings  there,"  he  went  on  pointedly. 

"  What — what  do  you  mean  ?"  stammered  Gissem, 
taken  by  surprise. 

"  I  mean  just  what  I  infer.  We  know  bow  people 
there  were  swindled,  and  we  know  how  anxious 
some  of  them  are  to  lay  hands  on  a  certain  firm  of 
auctioneers," 

"  Have  a  care,  boy,  or  I'll— I'll " 

"What  will  you  do?" 

"  Never  mind  ;  you'll  see  fast  enough." 

tw  You  cannot  bully  me.  Now  that  you  have 
taken  the  trouble  to  come  in  here,  let  me  tell  you 
something.  You  just  cast  several  reflections  upon 
our  characters.     That  has  got  to  be  stopped." 

"Humph!  Why,  you  are  but  a  boy  and  dare 
talk  to  me." 

"Never  mind,  he  knows  what  he  is  saying,"  put 
in  Andy.  "  We  are  not  to  be  mistreated  by  rivals 
or  by  any  one  else." 

"  Don't  talk  to  me  !"  snapped  Gissem,  and  unable 
to  keep  up  the  talk  with  credit  to  himself,  he  fled 
from  the  store. 

"  I  don't  think  he  will  dare  to  bother  us  again," 
said  Andy.  "  He  is  too  much  afraid  to  have  his 
past  record  raked  up." 

Andy  went  off  to  dinner,  leaving  Matt  in  sole 


Till-    YVUNO  AUCTIONEER.  oi.T 

charge.  The  snow  had  cleared  a  way,  but  it  was 
still  cold,  and  to  keep  himself  warm,  Matt  went  to 
the  rear  of  the  establishment  and  got  his  overcoat. 
He  was  just  putting-  on  the  garment  when  a  noise 
near  the  show-window  attracted  his  attention.  He 
ran  forward,  and  saw  that  a  thin  stream  of  water 
was  coming  down  through  the  boards  of  the  ceiling. 
The  water  was  splashing  on  some  of  the  stock,  and 
unless  it  was  speedily  checked  it  would  do  a  good 
bit  of  damage. 

Matt  knew  that  the  upper  part  of  the  building 
was  not  occupied.  In  the  rear  of  the  store  was  a 
door  leading  to  the  back  hallway,  and  through  this 
he  ran  and  started  to  go  upstairs. 

As  he  did  so,  somebody  started  to  come  down.  It 
was  the  boy  who  worked  for  the  rival  auctioneers. 


268  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTER  XXXY. 


TOM    INWOLD. 


As  soon  as  the  bo}T  saw  Matt  he  stopped  short, 
and  then  endeavored  to  retreat.  But  Matt  was 
coming  up  the  steps  in  a  tremendous  hurry,  and  in 
ten  seconds  he  was  close  enough  to  the  boy  to  catch 
him  by  the  arm. 

"  Let  go  of  me  !"  cried  the  boy,  badly  frightened. 

"  What  have  you  done  ?"  questioned  Matt  sternly, 
and  without  waiting  for  a  reply,  forced  the  bo}^  to 
accompany  him  into  the  rooms. 

A  glance  around  revealed  the  cause  of  the  flood 
below.  In  one  of  the  rooms  was  a  sink  with  city 
water.  The  water  had  been  turned  on  full,  and  the 
sink-holes  stopped  up  with  putty.  The  sink  had 
overflowed,  and  the  water  was  running  through 
several  cracks  in  the  floor. 

As  rapidly  as  he  could  Matt  turned  off  the  faucet. 
Then  leaving  the  water  still  in  the  sink  to  the  brim, 
he  dashed  downstairs. 

"  You  come  with  me  and  help  me  save  my  stock  !" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  269 

he  cried  to  the  boy.  "  If  you  don't  I'll  hand  you 
over  to  the  first  policeman  I  can  find." 

"  Oh,  please  don't  have  me  arrested  !"  howled  the 
boy,  almost  scared  out  of  his  wits  by  the  threat. 
"  I — I — didn't  mean  any  harm !" 

"  You  didn't  mean  any  harm  ?  We'll  see.  Come 
down  now." 

The  boy  hesitated,  and  then  followed  Matt  into 
the  store.  Here  a  portion  of  the  stock  had  to  be 
removed,  and  then  the  young  auctioneer  set  the 
boy  to  work  mopping  up  the  water  on  the  counter 
and  the  floor. 

"  Say,  please  don't  have  me  arrested,  will  you  ?" 
asked  the  boy,  almost  in  tears  over  what  he  con- 
sidered a  very  serious  predicament. 

"  You  ought  to  be  taught  a  lesson,"  returned 
Matt  severely.  "  What  put  you  up  to  the  idea  of 
letting  the  water  overflow  ?" 

"  What  Mr.  Gissem  said.  He  was  awful  mad 
after  he  was  in  here,  and  he  told  Mr.  Fillow  he 
wished  that  you  would  burn  out  or  that  the  water 
pipes  would  burst  and  drown  you  out.  Then  he 
asked  me  if  I  couldn't  worry  you  a  bit,  and  I  said 
I'd  try,  and  that's  the  truth  of  it." 

"  Well,  that  man  ought  to  be  cowhided  !"  was 
Matt's  vigorous  exclamation.  "  Excuse  me,  but  is 
he  any  relation  to  you  ?" 


370  THE  TOUNQ  AUCTIONEER. 

"Oh,  no." 

"Is  Mr.  Fillow?" 

"  No,  neither  of  them." 

"  Then  how  do  yon  come  to  be  traveling  with 
them  ?" 

The  boy's  face  took  on  a  sober  look,  and  he 
swallowed  something  like  a  lump  in  his  throat. 

"  I — I  got  tired  of  going  to  school  and  I  ran  away 
from  home." 

"  What  do  you  mean — "  Matt  stopped  short  as 
a  certain  thought  flashed  over  his  mind.  "  Say,  is 
your  name  Tom  Inwold,  and  do  you  come  from 
Plainfield  ?" 

At  this  unexpected  question  the  boy  looked  at 
Matt  in  amazement,  his  mouth  wide  open,  and  his 
eyes  as  big  as  they  could  well  be. 

"  Who  told  you  who  I  was  ?"  he  gasped. 

"Xo  one  ;  I  guessed  it." 

"  But  I  don't  know  you." 

"  That's  true.  We  stopped  in  Plainlield  a  number 
of  weeks  ago,  and  there  I  met  vour  mother." 

"And  what  did  she  say  F  faltered  Tom  Inwold. 

"  She  told  me  that  you  had  run  away  with  an 
auctioneer." 

"  And — and  was  that  all  V  went  on  the  boy,  his 
voice  trembling  with  emotion. 

"No;  she    was  very  anxious  to  have  you  come 


Til E  YOUNQ  AUCTIONEER.  •> ;  l 

home  again.  She  missed  you  very  much,  and  she 
could  not  understand  how  you  could  have  the  heart 
to  leave  her." 

At  these  words,  which  Matt  delivered  very 
seriously,  the  tears  sprang  into  Tom  Inwold's  eyes. 
Evidently  he  was  not  hard-hearted,  and  had  been 
led  astray  purely  by  bad  associates. 

"  I — I  wish  I  was  back  home  again,"  he  said  in  a 
low  voice. 

"  You  do  not  like  being  an  auctioneer's  helper, 
then  ?" 

"  Ko,  I  don't.  I  might  like  you,  but  Gissem  and 
Fillow  treat  me  awful." 

«  In  what  way !" 

"Well,  in  the  first  place  they  don't  half  feed 
me,  and  then  they  don't  pay  me  the  wages  they 
promised." 

"  What  did  they  promise  you  ?" 

"  Five  dollars  a  week  to  start  on,  and  ten  dollars 
•when  I  was  worth  it.  I've  been  with  them  a  long 
time,  but  I  was  never  able  to  get  a  cent  out  of 
them." 

"  Supposing  you  had  the  money,  would  you  go 
home  ?"  asked  Matt  kindly,  for  he  saw  that  the 
boy's  better  feelings  had  been  touched. 

"  I  don't  know  if  I  would  dare.     Ma  might  whip 


272  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

me  and  have  me  sent  to  the  reform  school,  or  some- 
thing like  that." 

"  I  don't  think  she  would — not  if  you  promise  to 
turn  over  a  new  leaf.  I  should  think  you  would 
rather  go  home  than  remain  where  you  have  to 
work  for  nothing." 

"  I  guess  I  would  go  home  if  I  had  a  railroad 
ticket  and  some  clothes  fit  to  wear.  You  can  see 
how  this  suit  looks,"  and  Tom  In  wold  showed  up 
his  ragged  elbows  and  patched  trousers. 

"Ill  see  if  I  can  do  something  for  you,"  said 
Matt. 

When  Andy  came  back  he  told  his  partner  Tom 
Inwold's  story.  To  this  the  boy  himself  added  the 
tale  of  his  hardships  while  with  the  rival  auction- 
eers, and  added  that  he  was  very  sorry  he  had 
endeavored  to  do  any  injury  to  the  stock  in  the 
store. 

"I  believe  he  means  it,"  said  Matt,  as  he  and 
Andy  walked  a  little  to  one  side.  "And  I  would 
like  to  do  something  for  the  lad,  for  his  mother's 
sake  as  much  as  his  own." 

"I  think  I  can  fix  it,"  replied  Andy.  "I'll  have 
a  talk  with  this  Gissem." 

"  He  ought  to  pay  the  boy  something  for  his 
work." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  273 

"■I  reckon  he  will — when  I  tell  him  that  he  is 
liable  to  arrest  for  enticing  the  boy  from  home." 

Andy  told  Tom  In  wold  to  accompany  him  to  the 
store  next  door.  At  first  the  boy  hung  back,  but 
when  Andy  promised  that  he  would  take  the  respon- 
sibility of  the  coming  interview  entirely  upon  his 
own  shoulders,  the  lad  consented  to  go  along. 

They  were  gone  nearly  an  hour,  and  during  that 
time  Matt  heard  some  pretty  loud  talking  through 
the  partition  which  separated  the  two  stores.  But 
wThen  Andy  and  Tom  In  wold  came  back  he  saw  by 
their  faces  that  they  had  triumphed. 

"At  first  Gissem  was  in  for  facing  me  down,"  said 
Andy.  "  Said  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  boy, 
and  all  that.  But  I  threatened  him  with  immediate 
arrest,  and  promised  to  have  the  mother  of  the  boy 
here  to  testify  against  him,  and  then  he  weakened, 
and  at  length  gave  Tom  thirty  dollars,  with  which 
to  buy  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  a  pair  of  shoes,  a  hat, 
and  a  railroad  ticket,  upon  conditions  that  he  would 
not  be  prosecuted.  I  reckon  he  was  badly  scared, 
too." 

Matt  was  much  pleased.  Leaving  Andy  in  charge 
of  the  store,  he  went  out  to  dinner,  taking  Tom  In- 
wold  along  with  him.  After  the  meal  the  wearing 
apparel  was  purchased  and  donned,  and  then  they 
made  their  way  to  the  depot.     Here  a  ticket  for 


274  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

Plain  field  was  procured,  and  the  young  auctioneer 
saw  to  it  that  the  boy  boarded  the  proper  train. 

"  I'll  never  forget  you,  never,11  said  Tom  Inwold 
on  parting,  and  he  never  has,  nor  has  Mrs.  Inwold, 
who  was  grateful  to  the  last  degree  for  what  Matt 
had  been  instrumental  in  doing  for  her. 

On  the  following  morning,  on  going  down  to  the 
store  to  open  up,  Andy  and  Matt  saw  that  the  entire 
stuck  of  the  store  adjoining  had  been  removed  dur- 
ing the  night.  Gissem  had  been  fearful  of  trouble, 
despite  what  Andy  had  promised,  and  had  taken 
time  by  the  forelock,  and  left  for  parts  unknown. 
The  young  auctioneers  never  met  him  or  his  partner 
again. 

1)V  having  the  entire  field  to  themselves  the  young 
auctioneers  did  a  splendid  business,  and  when  they 
were  ready  to  pack  up  and  start  for  Scranton  they 
found  that  they  had  cleared  nearly  ninety  dollars 
by  their  stay  in  Wilkes-Barre. 

In  the  meantime  the  weather  had  been  growing 
steadily  colder,  and  they  found  it  necessary  to  invest 
in  a  second-hand  robe  to  keep  them  warm  when 
driving. 

"  It  looks  a  bit  like  snow,"  remarked  Andy,  as 
they  drove  out  of  the  city  one  morning".  "  I  hope 
we  don't  catch   it   before  we  reach   where  we  are 


THE  TO  I  rN0  A  I  '('Tin  WEEK.  g ; ;, 

going  to.  A  snowstorm  in  the  mountains  is  not  a 
very  pleasant  thing  to  encounter." 

u  We  must  run  our  chances,"  returned  Matt,  and 
Billy  was  urged  forward,  and  soon  the  city  outskirts 
were  left  far  behind. 

The  sun  had  shone  for  awhile,  but  about  nine 
o'clock  it  went  under  a  heavy  cloud.  Then  it  be- 
gan to  get  slightly  warmer,  and  Andy  was  certain 
that  snow  was  coming. 

His  prediction  was  fulfilled.  By  ten  o'clock  it 
was  snowing  furiously,  and  by  eleven  the  ground 
was  covered  to  the  depth  of  half  a  foot. 

"That  settles  it;  we  can't  make  Scranton  to-day, 
nor  even  PiUsUm,'1  said  Matt.  "  We  had  better 
hunt  up  some  sort  of  a  house  with  a  barn  attached, 
where  we  can  put  up." 

But  Andy  was  for  continuing  the  journey,  so  on- 
ward they  went,  until  at  last,  just  before  the  noon 
hour,  they  found  the  road  getting  too  heavy  for 
Billy.  They  went  down  into  a  hollow  which  the 
falling  snow  had  covered,  and  there  the  wagon 
remained,  despite  every  effort  to  budge  it. 

They  looked  around  in  some  dismay.  Xot  even 
a  house  nor  a  building  of  any  sort  was  in  sight. 

"  This  is  a  pretty  pickle,"  muttered  Andy.  Vl  1 
wish  we  had  followed  your  advice  and  sought 
shelter." 


276  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"We've  got  to  do  something,"  returned  Matt. 
"  If  we  stay  here  we'll  be  completely  snowed  under. 
The  snow  is  coming  down  thicker  every  minute. 
What's  to  be  done  ?" 

Ah  !  what  was  to  be  done  ?  That  was  a  question 
not  easy  to  answer.  Both  of  the  young  auction eers 
were  much  disturbed. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  £T7 


CHAPTER  XXXYL 


LOST    IN    THE    SNOW. 


It  was  not  a  pleasant  outlook,  stuck  in  a  deep 
hollow  on  the  road  with  the  snow  coming  down 
furiously.  Already  the  ground  was  covered  to  the 
depth  of  a  foot  or  more,  and  around  the  heavily- 
laden  wagon  a  drift  was  forming  which  soon 
reached  above  the  axles. 

"  We  must  do  something,  that's  certain,"  muttered 
Matt,  as  he  sprang  to  Billy's  head  for  at  least  the 
fifth  time.  "  Come,  old  fellow,  cant  you  stir  it  up 
a  bit?" 

Andy  ran  to  the  back  of  the  wagon  and  placed 
his  shoulder  against  the  case  there  strapped  on.  But 
though  the  two  and  Billy,  the  horse,  did  their  best, 
the  auction  wagon  remained  where  it  was. 

"  It's  no  use,"  groaned  Andy,  as  he  stopped  to 
catch  his  breath.  "  We  are  stuck  as  hard  as  if  we 
were  planted  here,  and  it  looks  as  if  we  would  have 
to  remain  here  for  some  time." 

"  We  must  move  on,"  returned  Matt  desperately. 


278  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

"  In  a  few  hours  night  will  be  coming  on,  and  we'll 
be  completely  covered/1 

"  The  snow  is  coming  clown  faster  than  ever,  and 
the  wind  is  rising.  Maybe  we  are  going  to  have  a 
blizzard.     If  we  do,  Heaven  help  us !" 

"  Let  us  take  those  cases  of  goods  off,"  suggested 
the  young  auctioneer  after  a  moment  of  thought. 
"  That  will  lighten  the  load  for  Billy  somewhat.11 

The  big  packing  boxes  were  unstrapped  and  let 
down  in  the  snow.  They  were  followed  by  every 
other  article  which  could  be  removed  from  the  turn- 
out without  damage. 

Then  Billy  was  once  more  urged  to  go  on,  Matt 
i\nd  Andy  pushing  with  all  their  strength  in  the 
meanwhile.  The  wheels  of  the  wagon  and  the 
axles  creaked  and  then  moved  forward  slowly. 

"Hurrah!  we've  got  it  started  I"1  shouted  Matt 
joyfully.     "  Get  up,  Billy  !  get  up  I11 

And  the  horse  really  did  strain  every  muscle 
until,  two  minutes  later,  the  wagon  was  out  of  the 
hollow  and  up  on  the  ridge  of  a  little  hill. 

"  Thank  fortune  we  are  out  of  that  I11  exclaimed 
Andy.     "  isow  what  is  to  be  done  ?" 

"  We  had  better  strap  the  cases  in  place  again  and 
continue  on  our  way." 

"  The  cases  are  awfully  heavy.  I  wonder  if  we 
can't  hide  them  somewhere  and  come  back  for  them 


THE  YO UNO  <  1  I  '<  "llo N WER.  379 

later?     The  snow  is  not  melting,  so  that  won't  hurt 
them." 

The  matter  was  talked  over,  and  finally  they 
decided  to  leave  the  two  cases,  which  had  not  been 
opened,  and  were  well  packed,  under  a  big  tree  near 
the  roadside.  The  cases  were  removed  to  the  spot 
without  delay,  placed  upon  a  conple  of  dead  trees 
and  covered  with  brush. 

Then  they  moved  on  again,  Andy  leading  tin' 
horse,  and  Matt  going  on  ahead  to  inspect  the  road, 
and  thus  avoid  getting  into  another  hollow. 

It  was  bitterly  cold,  and  having  nothing  but  a 
light  overcoat  on,  the  young  auctioneer  was  chilled 
to  the  bone.  He  was  compelled  to  caper  about  and 
clap  his  hands  continually  to  keep  from  being- 
frozen.  The  snow,  now  fine  and  hard,  beat  into  his 
face  mercilessly,  and  to  protect  himself  from  this 
he  pulled  his  hat  far  down  over  his  eyes,  and  tied 
his  handkerchief  over  his  mouth  and  nose. 

But  the  hardships  of  the  storm  were  not  to  be 
endured  for  long.  A  quarter  of  a  mile  further  on 
they  came  to  a  large  farmhouse,  situated  some  little 
distance  back  from  the  road.  In  the  rear  was  a 
barn  and  a  cow-shed. 

Running  ahead,  Matt  knocked  upon  the  door  of 
the  house.     It    was  opened  by  an  elderly  farmer, 


280  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEER. 

who  was  smoking,  and  who  held  a  paper  in  his 
hand. 

"  Good-afternoon,"  said  the  young  auctioneer. 
"  Can  we  get  shelter  here  for  ourselves  and  our 
horse  ?  We  are  willing  to  pay  for  the  accommoda- 
tion." 

"  "What's  the  matter  %  Caught  on  the  road  ?"  re- 
turned the  farmer  pleasantly. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  and  Matt  briefly  narrated  the  par- 
ticulars. 

"  Drive  right  around  to  the  barn,"  were  the  farm- 
er's welcome  words.  "  I'll  open  up  for  you  and  make 
your  horse  comfortable  enough." 

And  reaching  for  his  hat  and  coat,  he  put  them 
on  and  came  outside. 

Andy  was  not  slow  to  drive  Billy  into  shelter. 
The  barn  was  a  large  one,  and  far  from  filled,  and 
the  wagon  went  in  without  difficulty. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  had  been  cared  for,  the 
young  auctioneers  followed  the  farmer  back  to  the 
house.  The  family  had  just  finished  their  dinner, 
but  set  to  work  at  once  to  prepare  food  for  the 
half-frozen  and  exhausted  travelers. 

While  Matt  and  Andy  were  warming  up  they 
told  the  farmer  about  the  cases  which  had  been  left 
on  the  road. 

"  I  suppose  they  ought  not  to  be  left  there  too 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  281 

long,"  said  Andy.  "  If  I  bad  a  light  wagon  and  a 
pair  of  strong  horses  I  would  go  after  them  as  soon 
as  I've  had  something  to  eat." 

"  Don't  you  mind  ;  I'll  go  after  'em  for  you,"'  said 
the  farmer.  "  I've  got  Sam  and  Bess,  and  they  can 
pull  through  most  anything.  Perhaps  after  you've 
had  dinner  it  will  be  too  late." 

"  Well,  if  you  get  them  we  will  pay  you  what- 
ever it  is  worth,"  returned  Matt's  partner. 

The  farmer  set  about  the  trip  without  delay,  and 
just  as  Andy  and  Matt  were  called  to  the  dining- 
table  he  drove  out  of  the  yard. 

The  meal  was  a  good  one,  there  being  plenty  to 
eat  and  all  of  it  well  served.  To  the  two  half- 
famished  ones  it  seemed  to  be  about  the  best  meal 
they  had  ever  tasted. 

After  it  was  over  they  sat  down  by  the  fire  and 
began  to  chat  with  the  farmer's  wife,  a  motherly 
creature  of  the  same  age  as  her  husband.  Every 
five  minutes  Matt  would  walk  to  the  window  to  see 
if  the  farmer  was  yet  returning. 

It  was  nearly  an  hour  before  Mr.  Pearsall,  for 
such  was  the  farmer's  name,  drove  up  to  the  door. 
Matt  and  Andy  ran  out  to  meet  him,  and  were 
relieved  to  learn  that  the  cases  of  goods  had  been 
brought    in    good    condition.      They   were    taken 


THE  YQUNQ  AUCTIQNKKM. 

around  to  the  barn  and  there  transferred  to  their 
original  places  on  the  auction  wagon. 

Mr.  Pearsall  was  curious  to  know  something  of 
their  business,  and  when  they  were  once  more  in 
the  house  the  two  young  auctioneers  told  their 
story,  to  which  both  the  farmer  and  his  wife 
listened  with  deep  interest. 

As  it  continued  to  snow,  Matt  and  Andy  decided 
to  remain  at  the  farmhouse  over  night,  and  arrange- 
ments  were  made  to  that  effect.  They  spent  a 
pleasant  evening,  and  all  hands  retired  early. 

In  the  morning,  much  to  their  joy,  they  found 
that  the  snow  had  stopped  coming  down,  and  that 
the  sun  was  shining  brightly.  They  had  an  early 
breakfast,  and  then,  after  settling  with  Mr.  Pear- 
sal!,  who  did  not  wish  cash,  but  took  goods  his  wife 
desired  instead,  they  set  off  for  Pittston,  which  was 
scarcely  half  a  mile  distant. 

Billy  had  had  a  good  rest,  and  the  city  mentioned 
above  was  reached  in  a  short  while.  Here  they 
arranged  for  an  extra  horse,  that  was  hitched  up  in 
front  of  their  own.  In  this  manner  they  stalled 
for  Scranton  with  more  confidence. 

The  road  was  as  rocky  and  uneven  as  before,  but 
it  being  bright  and  clear,  they  were  enabled  to 
avoid  hollows  with  ease.  They  stopped  at  Taylor 
for  dinner,  and  arrived  in  Scranton  an  hour  before 


Til E  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  t%% 

nightfall,  tired  out,  but  happy  to  think  that  their 
journey,  for  the  balance  of  the  week  at  least,  was 
over. 

As  soon  as  they  had  settled  in  a  vacant  stoic 
Matt  left  Andy  in  charge  and  hurried  to  the  post- 
office,  to  look  for  a  letter  from  Ida  Hart  let  t.  [Ie 
was  not  disappointed  ;  the  letter  was  there,  and  he 
read  it  with  deep  interest. 

"  Since  receiving  your  letter,"  she  wrote,  "  I  have 
been  watching  Mr.  Fenton  closely,  and  I  am  satis- 
lied  that  he  is  much  disturbed  over  the  fact  that 
Mr.  Gaston  has  left  his  employ  and  that  he  was 
threatened  with  exposure.  I  have  also  taken  the 
liberty  to  write  to  Mr.  Gaston,  but  have,  as  yet, 
received  no  reply.  Will  write  again  as  soon  as  he 
answers.  It  is  a  pity  you  cannot  find  out  what 
became  of  your  poor  father  and  the  papers.11 


284  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEE    XXXVII. 

MORE      OF      AUCTION      LIFE. 

"  Yes,  I  would  give  every  cent  I  am  worth,  and 
more,  to  learn  what  did  become  of  father,"  said 
Matt  to  Andy,  after  he  had  allowed  his  partner  to 
peruse  the  letter. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  you  would,  Matt,"  returned 
Andy  feelingly.  "  I  can  imagine  how  much  it 
worries  you— not  knowing  if  he  is  dead  or  alive. 
But  you  must  keep  a  stout  heart  and  trust  to  the 
future  to  clear  up  the  mystery." 

"  I'm  trying  to  do  that,  but,  A  ndy,  it's  hard 
work,"  and  Matt's  handsome  face  took  on  an  un- 
usually sober  look. 

Knowing  that  nothing  could  be  gained  by  dis- 
cussing the  matter,  which  had  been  talked  over  a 
score  of  times  previously,  Andy  changed  the  sub- 
ject. Business  had  opened  very  well,  and  he  wished 
to  go  out  and  have  some  circulars  printed,  by  which 
even  a  larger  crowd  might  be  attracted  to  the  sale. 

It  remained  clear  for  two  days,  and  during  that 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  285 

time  both  of  the  young  auctioneers  were  kept  busy 
from  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  eleven  at 
night. 

On  the  third  day  it  began  to  grow  warmer,  and 
by  noon  it  was  raining  steadily. 

"  Well,  never  mind,  the  rain  will  wash  the  snow 
away,  and  if  it  only  stays  clear  afterward  we  will 
have  a  chance  to  get  on  to  Carbondale,"  was  Andy'? 
cheerful  comment. 

Seeing  that  Matt  could  get  along  very  well  alone, 
he  left  the  store  in  the  afternoon  to  buy  a  heavy 
overcoat  at  some  clothing  establishment.  If  he 
procured  what  he  wished,  Matt  was  to  buy  one  also. 

Left  to  himself,  the  vouno-  auctioneer  did  what  he 
could  to  attract  trade,  but  without  success.  He 
waited  on  the  few  customers  who  had  drifted 
in,  but  when  they  were  gone  found  himself 
alone. 

Bather  than  have  the  time  hang  heavily  upon  his 
hands  he  began  to  clean  up  the  stock.  Cutlery  and 
spoons  need  constant  care  to  keep  them  looking 
bright,  and  Matt  was,  therefore,  never  at  a  loss  for 
employment. 

While  he  was  hard  at  work  shining  up  some 
silver-plated  ware  which  was  slightly  tarnished 
through  handling,  the  door  of  the  store  was  flung 
open  violently,  and  a  large,  heavily-built  man  stag- 


280  THE  YOU  Ml  AUCTIONEER 

gered  in.  At  a  glance  Matt  saw  that  the  man  was 
much  the  worse  for  the  liquor  he  had  drunk. 

"  Say,  is  this  an  auction  store?"  grunted  the  man, 
as  he  tried  to  walk  up  to  the  counter  with  some 
show  of  steadiness. 

"  It  is,1'  returned  the  young  auctioneer  briefly. 
Of  all  persons  to  deal  with  he  hated  a  drunken  man 
the  worst. 

"  It  is,  hey — a  genuine  auction  store  2"  went  on 
the  tipsy  individual. 

"  Yes.  AVhat  can  I  do  for  you  in  and  Matt  put 
the  silverware  he  was  handling  away. 

"  I  want  to  buy  a  pistol." 

Matt  was  surprised  at  this  statement,  and  he  was 
was  also  alarmed.  The  tipsy  man  was  certainly  not 
the  person  to  have  a  firearm  in  his  possession. 

"  You  wish  a  pistol  ?"  he  said  slowly. 

"  That's  me,  boy  !  Hand  out  the  best  pistol  you 
have  in  the  place  !  I  don't  want  any  toy  pop-gun 
remember  !" 

And  the  man  glared  at  Matt  as  though  the  boy 
were  his  one  personal  enemy. 

"  Excuse  me,  but  I  hardly  think  I  have  a  pistol  to 
suit  you,"  replied  the  young  auctioneer,  thinking  it 
best  to  discourage  the  man  if  possible.  "  You  had 
better  go  to  a  regular  firearms  store." 

w  I  cHirt  a-going  nowhere  but  here  !"  growled  the 


Til E  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

would-be  customer,  as  he  gave  ;i  lurch  againsl  the 
counter.  k-  I  want  a  pistol  ;  best  you  got,  under- 
stand r 

"I  understand,  but  I  haven't  any  pistol  for  you," 
Matt  replied  steadily.  He  wished  Andy  would 
come  back. 

"What!  do  you  mean  to  say  you  refuge  to  sell 
me  a  pistol  ?"  howled  the  man  savagely.  "  Let  me 
tell  you,  boy,  that  I  have  ample  means  for  reim- 
bursing you/1 

"  I  haven't  any  pistol  for  you,  sir.  You  had 
better  go  elsewhere." 

"  Won't  go,  understand,  I  won't  go  !  Let  me  see 
them  pistols  in  that  show-case,  and  be  quick  about 
it!" 

Matt  was  now  growing  alarmed.  The  man  was 
just  intoxicated  enough  to  be  thoroughly  ugly,  and 
might  try  to  do  him  harm  should  he  refuse  the 
request  which  had  been  made.  Yet  he  realized 
more  than  ever  that  the  man  was  not  the  one  to  be 
trusted  with  a  firearm. 

"I  do  not  care  to  show  you  the  pistols,"  was  all 
the  young  auctioneer  could  say.  u  You  must  go 
elsewhere  if  you  wish  one." 

"  Won't  sell  me  one,  hey  ?" 

"No,  I  will  not." 

"  Why  ?" 


288  THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER 

"  I  have  my  reasons." 

"  You're  awfully  smart,  boy ;  most  too  smart  to 
live !  But  I  am  going  to  have  what  I  want,  under- 
stand that !" 

With  unsteady  steps  the  man  walked  to  the  rear 
end  of  the  counter  and  came  around  to  the  inner 
side.  He  was  met  by  Matt,  who,  becoming  alarmed, 
had  picked  up  the  butt-end  of  a  fishing-rod  with 
which  to  defend  himself. 

"  You  can't  come  back  here,  sir." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  can." 

"  I  say  you  cannot.  The  best  thing  you  can  do  is 
to  go  elsewhere." 

"  What !  do  you  threaten  me  ?" 

"  I  want  you  to  understand  that  you  cannot  come 
back  here.  1  told  you  I  did  not  wish  to  sell  you  a 
pistol,  and  that  ought  to  be  enough." 

"  Want  to  fight,  boy  ?"  demanded  the  man, 
scowling  savagely  and  doubling  up  his  fists. 

"  No,  I  do  not  wish  to  fight.  I  merely  wish  to 
be  left  alone." 

Matt  had  hardly  spoken  when  the  tipsy  man 
hurled  himself  forward,  intending  to  catch  the 
young  auctioneer  by  the  throat.  But  Matt  was 
too  quick  for  him.  He  stepped  backward,  and  the 
consequence   was   that    the   man    went    headlong, 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  289 

striking  the  floor  with  such  force  that  every  article 
in  the  store  shook  and  rattled. 

"  You — you  young  villain  I'1  panted  the  tipsy 
man,  as  he  attempted  to  rise  to  his  feet.  "  What 
do  you  mean  by  such  conduct  ?  Help  me  up,  do 
you  hear  ?" 

"  I  hear,  but  I  am  not  going  to  assist  you  until 
you  promise  to  leave  at  once,"  returned  Matt. 

"  I'm  going  to  look  at  those  pistols  first,"  growled 
the  intoxicated  one,  and  by  holding  fast  to  the 
counter  he  managed,  but  not  without  much  diffi- 
culty, to  rise  to  his  feet  once  more.  "  That's  a  fine 
way  to  treat  a  gentleman !" 

"  It  was  your  own  fault.  You  had  no  business  to 
try  to  catch  me  by  the  throat." 

"  And  you  had  no  business  to  be  saucy,  under- 
stand, boy,  saucy?  I  never  allow  any  one  to  be 
saucy  to  me.  Now  them  pistols,  and  no  more 
nonsense." 

Instead  of  replying,  Matt  tried  to  push  the  man 
out  from  behind  the  counter.  The  young  auction- 
eer thought  that  if  he  could  get  him  out  near  the 
door  he  would  then  be  able  to  summon  assistance 
and  have  the  tipsy  individual  taken  away. 

Evidently  the  man  suspected  his  intention.  He 
declined  to  be  pushed  back,  and  seeing  what  he 
considered   a  good  chance,   he  hurled   himself  at 


290  TMB  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

Matt  once  more,  and  this  time  both  rolled  to  the 
floor. 

In  going  down,  the  young  auctioneer  struck  his 
head  upon  the  sharp  corner  of  a  box.  He  was 
partly  stunned,  and  for  several  seconds  could  not 
make  a  movement  in  his  own  favor.  The  piece  of 
the  fishing-rod  flew  out  of  his  hand,  and  this  his 
opponent  picked  up. 

"  I'll  teach  you  to  talk  to  a  gentleman  like  my- 
self!"  growled  the  tipsy  man,  and  he  aimed  a  blow 
at  the  young  auctioneer's  head  with  the  weapon  he 
had  secured. 

The  blow  failed  to  reach  its  mark,  but  undis- 
mayed by  his  failure  to  injure  Matt,  the  'man 
gathered  himself  together  and  prepared  for  a  second 
attack. 


Till'.  TOUm  AUCTIONEER  -'M 


CHAPTEK    XX Will. 

A    SURPRISING      DISCO  V  E  R  Y  . 

It  looked  as  if  the  young  auctioneer  was  in  for  a 
serious  time  of  it.  As  has  been  said,  the  would-be 
purchaser  of  a  pistol  was  just  drunk  enough  to  be 
ugly  and  unreasonable.  He  had  refused  to  leave 
the  auction  store,  and  now  he  was  bent  upon  doing 
mischief  to  the  boy  who  had  failed  to  treat  him  as 
he  fancied  he  ought  to  be  served. 

"  Now,  how  do  you  like  that,  you  young  rascal  ?" 
growled  the  man,  as  he  brought  the  end  of  the  fish- 
ing-rod down  for  a  second  time. 

"  I  don't  like  it  at  all,"  returned  Matt,  as  he  re- 
covered sufficiently  to  dodge  out  of  the  way, 
although  the  stick  came  uncomfortably  close  to  his 
ears.     "  Let  me  up  at  once." 

"  Not  much,  boy,  not  much  !  I'm  going  to  teach 
you  a  lesson  to  be  civil  to  customers  !" 

"  You  are  getting  yourself  into  serious  trouble." 

"  Ho !  ho  !  I  reckon  I  am  able  to  take  care  of 
myself." 


292  THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

Once  again  the  man  sought  to  strike  Matt,  and 
this  time  he  succeeded.  The  blow  landed  upon  the 
young  auctioneer's  shoulder,  and  caused  him  to  cry 
out  with  pain. 

At  that  instant  the  door  opened,  and  Andy 
entered  the  store,  carrying  on  his  arm  the  new 
overcoat  he  had  just  purchased. 

"  What's  the  matter,  Matt  ?"  he  cried,  in  quick 
alarm. 

"  Help  me,  Andy  !  This  drunken  man  is  trying 
to  knock  me  out  with  that  stick  !" 

The  senior  partner  of  the  firm  needed  no  second 
call  for  assistance.  Without  hesitation  he  flung  the 
overcoat  on  a  packing  case,  and  rushing  up  to  Matt's 
assailant,  caught  him  by  the  collar  and  dragged  him 
from  behind  the  counter. 

"  Let  me — me  go  !"  spluttered  the  tipsy  individual. 
"  Let  go  my  collar  !" 

"  Don't  you  do  it,  Andy  !"  and  Matt  sprang  to 
his  feet  as  quickly  as  he  could. 

"  I  don't  intend  to,"  was  Andy's  determined 
answer.     "  What's  the  meaning  of  this  trouble  ?" 

"  He  wouldn't  let  me  look  at  the  pistols,"  whined 
the  tipsy  man,  collapsing  now  that  he  saw  he  was 
powerless  to  do  any  more  injury. 

"I  didn't  think  he  was  in  fit  condition  to  look  at 
anything,"  put  in  Matt. 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  293 

"  You  had  no  right  to  abuse  my  partner,"  said 
Andy,  sure  that  Matt  was  in  the  right  of  the  alter- 
cation. "  Now  you  get  right  out  of  here,  and  don't 
show  your  face  again.1' 

And  Andy  shoved  the  man  toward  the  door, 
which  he  had  left  partly  open. 

The  tipsy  man  began  to  remonstrate,  and  wanted 
to  fight  both  of  them.  He  grew  quite  abusive,  and 
threatened  to  wreck  all  the  things  in  the  establish- 
ment. Before  he  could  carry  out  his  threat,  how- 
ever, Andy  and  Matt  landed  him  out  on  his  back  on 
the  sidewalk  and  beckoned  to  a  passing  police- 
man. 

"  What!  so  it's  you  again  !"  cried  the  officer,  on 
seeing  the  intoxicated  individual.  "  I  thought  you 
had  warning  enough  at  the  hotel.  What  has  he 
been  doing  V  he  asked  of  Matt. 

"  He  got  mad  because  I  wouldn't  let  him  handle 
the  pistols  in  the  place." 

"  The  pistols  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir.  He  insisted  upon  seeing  the  best  pistol 
we  had,  and  I  wouldn't  accommodate  him.  I  thought 
it  might  be  dangerous.  Of  course  he  would  want 
cartridges,  and  then  he  might  go  off  and  shoot  some- 
body." 

"  That  was  his  intention.  He  got  into  a  row  in 
the  hotel  on  the  next  block,  and  the  clerk  says  he 


294  TgE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER. 

threatened  to  shoot  the  proprietor.  I  suppose  he 
was  bent  on  getting  the  pistol  to  do  it  with.  Just 
you  come  with  me,  and  I'll  give  you  a  chance  to 
sober  up." 

The  tipsy  man  remonstrated,  and  tried  to  make 
the  policeman  believe  that  the  rows  at  the  hotel  and 
at  the  store  were  only  jokes.  But  the  officer  would 
not  listen,  and  took  the  drunken  individual  to  the 
station-house,  where,  later  on,  he  was  sentenced  to 
thirty  da}^s  in  the  county  jail  for  disturbing  the 
peace. 

"  That's  another  side  of  the  auction  business,"  said 
Matt,  after  he  and  Andy  were  left  alone.  "  And  I 
must  confess  it's  a  side  I  don't  like.  It  was  lucky 
you  came  along  when  you  did." 

"An  intoxicated  man  never  makes  a  good  cus- 
tomer, Matt.  Some  store-keepers  try  to  get  his 
money  away  from  him,  but,  as  for  me,  I  want  noth- 
ing to  do  with  him." 

The  blow  on  the  shoulder  had  not  injured  Matt, 
and  soon  the  incident,  exciting  as  it  had  been,  was 
almost  forgotten.  Andy  had  struck  a  bargain,  as 
he  termed  it,  in  the  purchase  of  his  new  overcoat, 
and  he  wished  Matt  to  go  off  at  once  and  get  one 
like  it. 

"They  are  selling  about  two  dozen  off  at  bottom 
price,"  he  said.     "  And  you  want  to  lose  no  time  if 


777 A;  YQUNQ  A  UVTIONKKU. 


(05 


you  wish  to  get  litted.  It  is  the  first  store  on  the 
third  Mock  above  here.'1 

"  All  right,  I'll  go,  Andy,  for  I  can't  do  without 
the  overcoat,"  arid  oil'  Matt  started,  never  once 
dreaming  of  what  was  going  to  happen  on  that 
simple  little  shopping  trip. 

Matt  located  the  clothing  shop  without  difficulty. 
It  was  quite  well  filled  with  customers,  but  he  soon 
found  the  salesman  who  had  served  Andy,  and  this 
young  man  did  not  keep  him  waiting  any  longer 
than  was  absolutely  necessary. 

There  were  three  overcoats  which  just  fitted 
Matt,  and  he  hesitated  as  to  which  to  take.  He 
tried  them  all  on,  but  could  not  decide  the  ques- 
tion. 

"I'll  take  them  to  the  daylight  and  examine 
them,"  he  said,  and  walked  from  the  center  of  the 
store,  which  was  lighted  by  gas,  toward  the  show 
window. 

Here  he  began  to  examine  each  overcoat  critically. 
One  was  black,  the  other  brown,  and  third  a  dark 
blue.     Matt  rather  fancied  the  dark  blue. 

While  he  was  handling  over  the  dark-blue  coat, 
the  form  of  a  ragged  man  darkened  the  side  of  the 
show  window  furthest  from  the  door.  Withhardly 
a  thought,  Matt  looked  up  to  sec   who  it  was. 

Then  the  heart  of  the  young  auctioneer  seemed 


296  THE  TO  UNG  A  TJCTIONEER. 

to  fairly  stop  beating.  The  ragged  man  on  the 
pavement  outside  was  his  father  ! 

With  a  sharp  cry  that  startled  every  one  in  the 
establishment,  Matt  dashed  down  the  garments  he 
held  and  made  a  rush  for  the  door.  At  the  same 
moment  the  man  outside,  catching  one  glimpse  of 
Matt's  face,  put  up  both  his  hands  'to  his  forehead 
and  sped  up  the  street  as  if  running  for  his  life  ! 

"  What's  the  matter  with  that  }7oung  fellow  ?" 

"  What's  the  matter  with  the  man  ?" 

"  Say,  come  back  here  !" 

"  Did  he  steal  anything  ?" 

These  and  a  score  of  other  cries  rang  out  in  quick 
succession.  But  Matt  paid  no  attention,  nor  did  he 
stop  to  offer  any  explanation  to  the  astonished 
clothing  salesman.  He  had  seen  his  father,  his 
father  for  whom  he  had  been  searching  so  long  and 
so  earnestly  !  He  could  tell  that  face,  as  haggard 
and  white  as  it  was,  among  a  million. 

Away  sped  the  man  up  the  street,  and  on  after 
him  came  Matt,  running  as  he  had  never  run  before. 
He  could  not  understand  why  his  parent  should 
thus  try  to  get  away  from  him.  But  he  did  not 
stop  to  reason  on  the  matter.  He  wanted  to  reach 
his  father,  that  was  all,  and  he  strained  every  muscle 
to  accomplish  his  effort. 

But  although  Matt  was  a  good  runner,  the  man 


THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER.  297 

he  'svas  after  appeared  well  able  to  keep  beyond  his 
reach.  Evidently  some  dreadful  fear  urged  him  on, 
for  many  times  he  would  look  back  over  his  shoul- 
der, and  each  time  pass  his  hands  over  his  forehead, 
as  if  to  wipe  the  sight  from  his  brain  and  memory. 

Soon  several  blocks  had  been  passed,  and  then  the 
man  turned  a  corner,  and  started  toward  the  poorer 
section  of  the  city.  Matt  continued  to  follow  for 
half  a  dozen  blocks  further.  Then  he  saw  his  father 
dart  into  the  open  hallway  of  a  half-tumbled-down 
tenement. 

When  he  reached  the  building  the  young  auction- 
eer peered  into  the  hallway,  but  could  see  no  one. 
Several  little  girls  were  playing  upon  the  sidewalk, 
and  he  asked  them  if  they  had  seen  any  one  go  in. 

"Crazy  Will  just  went  in,"  replied  one  of  the 
girls.  "  Guess  he  has  gone  up  to  his  room  in  the 
garret." 

"  Crazy  Will !"  murmured  Matt  to  himself. 
"Poor  father!  How  thankful  I  am  that  I  have 
found  you  at  last !" 

And  trembling  with  emotion,  he  hurried  up  the 
rickety  stairs  until  he  reached  the  door  of  the  apart- 
ment which  one  of  the  girls  pointed  out  as  that 
occupied  by  Crazy  Will. 


298  TME  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER 


CHAPTER  XXXTX. 

A      MYSTERY      CLEARED      UP. 

The  door  of  the  garret  room  was  closed,  and 
when  Matt  tried  the  knob,  he  found  that  it  was  also 
locked.     He  knocked  lightly  upon  it. 

At  first  there  was  no  response.  Then  a  weak 
voice,  which  he  could  but  faintly  recognize  as  that 
of  his  father,  asked  sharply  : 

"Who's  there?  What  do  you  want?  Why 
don't  you  go  away  and  leave  me  alone  ?" 

"  Father !  father !  come  and  open  the  door  !"  ex- 
claimed Matt,  his  voice  trembling  as  it  had  never 
trembled  before. 

"  Who  speaks  ?  Go  away,  I  say,  and  leave  a  poor 
old  man  alone  !" 

"  Father,  it  is  me,  Matt !  Don't  you  remember 
me  ?" 

"Matt!  Matt!  Oh,  no,  Matt  was  lost  when  his 
mother  Avas  lost  and  the  money  !  Yes,  the  money, 
mother,  and  Matt !  Too  bad  !  Go  away,  and  don't 
persecute  me !" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  %$\> 

"  Xo,  father,  you  are  mistaken.  I  am  here, 
father — your  only  son,  Matt.  Pleas*;  open  the 
door." 

"  You  are  fooling  me  !  Didn't  you  fool  me  about 
Matt  only  last  week  and  throw  a  pail  of  water  on 
me,  and  call  me  Crazy  Will  \     G-o  away,  I  say!" 

"  Xo,  father,  I  will  not  go  away  !  You  must  open 
the  door!  You  must!  I  have  been  hunting  lor 
you  so  long — ever  since  mother  died  and  you  disap- 
peared, and  now  that  I  have  found  you,  we  shall 
never  separate  again.     Open  the  door;  do,  please." 

These  words,  spoken  with  an  intensity  which  can- 
not be  described,  had  the  necessary  effect  upon  the 
poor,  weak-minded  man  inside  of  the  garret  room. 
Matt  heard  him  move  slowly  toward  the  door,  and 
then  heard  the  key  turn  in  the  lock.  The  next 
instant  the  door  opened,  and  the  boy  sprang  into 
the  room  and  caught  his  father  around  the  neck. 

"  Oh,  father,  don't  you  know  me?"  he  cried,  with 
deep  emotion.     "It  is  Matt,  your  only  son !" 

He  looked  his  father  steadily  in  the  eyes,  the 
tears  meanwhile  coursing  freely  down  his  cheeks. 
Mr.  Lincoln  returned  the  gaze  for  a  moment,  then 
the  wild  look  died  out  of  his  eyes,  and  his  breast 
heaved  and  he  gave  a  deep  sob. 

WbMatt!  Matt!  It  is  really  you!  My  son!  my 
son  I" 


300  THE  TO  UNG  A  UCTIONEEU. 

He  caught  the  boy  in  his  arms  and  hugged  him 
to  his  breast,  sobbing  the  meanwhile  like  a  little 
child.  He  spoke  of  his  wife  and  her  death,  of  his 
lost  money,  and  a  hundred  other  things,  and  then, 
in  the  midst  of  it  all,  threw  up  his  arms  and  sank  to 
the  floor  in  a  dead  faint. 

A  less  courageous  boy  than  Matt  would  have  been 
badly  scared.  But  he  knew  of  these  fainting  spells, 
for  his  father  had  had  them  years  before  and  had 
always  come  out  of  them  feeling  weaker  in  body,  it 
was  true,  but  always  clearer  in  mind. 

In  one  corner  of  the  room  lay  an  old  mattress, 
and  upon  this  he  placed  his  father's  form.  Then 
he  opened  the  tightly- closed  window  and  began  to 
bathe  his  father's  forehead  with  some  water  that 
stood  in  a  cracked  pitcher  near  by. 

Two  of  the  girls  that  had  told  him  about  Crazy 
"Will  had  followed  him  up  the  tenement  stairs  and 
were  now  standing  outside  of  the  garret-room  door, 
staring  at  all  that  was  going  on.  Matt  called  them 
in. 

"  Do  either  of  you  want  to  earn  twenty-five 
cents  ?"  he  asked. 

"  What  doin'  ?"  asked  the  older  of  the  two  girls 
promptly: 

"  I  want  you  to  deliver  a  message  for  me." 

"  Where  to  ?" 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  301 

Matt  mentioned  the  auction  store  and  described 
its  location.  The  girl  said  she  knew  where  it  was 
and  would  willingly  take  a  message  there. 

"  Don't  yer  want  a  doctor?"  she  asked. 

"Not  yet.  You  take  this  note  and  it  will  be  all 
right.     But  you  must  not  lose  a  minute." 

"  I'll  run  all  the  way,"  replied  the  girl. 

Taking  out  a  notebook  he  carried,  Matt  hastily 
scribbled  down  the  following  brief  message : 

"Andy:  I  have  found  my  father.  Come  with 
the  bearer  at  once.  Matt." 

This  he  folded  up  and  addressed  to  his  partner. 
In  another  minute  the  girl  was  flying  down  the 
tenement  stairs,  two  steps  at  a  time,  the  other  girl 
close  behind  her. 

When  they  were  gone  Matt  closed  the  door  and 
again  turned  his  attention  to  his  father. 

Mr.  Lincoln's  eyes  were  still  closed,  but  by  put- 
ting his  ear  down  to  his  parent's  chest,  Matt  found 
that  his  father  was  breathing  quite  regularly.  He 
continued  to  bathe  his  parent's  forehead  and 
also  fanned  him  with  a  newspaper  which  was  lying 

by- 

While  waiting  for  his  father  to  come  to  again, 
Matt  could  not  help  but  gaze  at  the  surroundings. 
The  garret  room  was  small  and  bare  of  furniture, 


3(  r>  THE  YO  UNO  A  UCTIONEKll. 

containing  nothing  but  the  mattress,  a  broken-down 
stove,  and  a  few  cracked  dishes.  There  was  half  a 
loaf  of  stale  bread  beside  the  dishes,  and  nothing 
else  to  eat  was  in  sight. 

,k  What  a  place  to  live  in  I'1  murmured  the  boy  to 
himself.     "  Poor  father  !   Poor  father  !" 

lie  again  bent  over  the  motionless  form,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
his  father  open  his  eyes. 

ww  Matt,  is  it  really  you,  or  is  this  another  one  of 
those  tantalizing  dreams  ?"  asked  Mr.  Lincoln 
feebly,  as  he  essayed  to  rise  to  a  sitting  position. 

"  It  is  really  I,  father,"  returned  the  son  gently. 
"  You  had  better  lie  still  for  awhile.  Your  run  ex- 
hausted you." 

"  How  thankful  I  am  that  it  is  really  you !  But 
there  must  be  some  mistake.  I  have  dreamed  of 
these  things  before.     That  is  why  I  ran  away." 

"  There  is  no  mistake  now,  father,  it  is  really  and 
truly  I,"  and  Matt  bent  lower  and  wound  his  arms 
around  his  father's  neck.  "  You  have  nothing  more 
to  fear,  father.     Just  rely  on  me  for  everything." 

"  I  will,  Matt,  I  will !  I  know  it  is  you,  now  that 
you  are  so  close  to  me  !" 

"  And,  father,  you  must  promise  that  you  will  not 
run  away  again." 

"  I  promise,  Matt.     My  mind  was  upset — it's  up- 


THE  YOUNG  AUOTIONKKH.  303 

set  yet,  I'm  afraid.     But  I  won't    leave  you,  Matt; 

I  won't  leave  you.  I  used  to  imagine  I  saw  you, 
and  then  the  boys  on  the  street  would  plague  me 
and  call  me  Crazy  "Will.  But  that's  nil  over  now, 
thank  Heaven  !     That's  ail  over  now  !" 


304  THE  TOUNO  AUCTIONEER. 


CHAPTEK  XL. 

THE   MINING    SHAKES CONCLUSION. 

In  less  than  half  an  hour  Andy  reached  the  garret 
room,  and  Matt  told  his  partner  his  story.  Andy 
was  introduced  to  Mr.  Lincoln  as  a  friend  who 
could  be  trusted  in  all  things,  and  although  the 
weak-minded  man  was  suspicious  of  all  strangers, 
he  made  no  demonstration  against  his  son's  com- 
panion. 

"  I  wish  to  take  him  to  some  quiet  place,  where 
he  can  have  the  best  of  medical  attention,"  said 
Matt  to  Andy.  "  Do  you  think  you  can  find  such  a 
place  ?     I  do  not  dare  to  leave  him  yet." 

"  I  will  do  my  best,"  returned  Andy. 

He  went  off  in  search  of  the  right  place,  and  in 
an  hour  came  back,  accompanied  by  a  pleasant  man 
fifty  or  sixty  years  of  age,  whom  he  introduced  as 
Dr.  Zabrinsky. 

"  The  doctor  will  take  your  father  into  his  own 
home,"  he  said.  "  He  has  two  patients  suffering 
from  mental  troubles  and  makes  a  specialty  of  such 
things.     He  will  do  his  best." 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER.  305 

Matt  was  pleased  by  the  medical  man's  appear- 
ance, and  after  some  little  conversation,  a  carriage 
was  called,  and  Mr.  Lincoln  was  removed,  accom- 
panied by  Matt,  to  the  doctor's  private  sanitarium. 
Andy  was  left  behind  to  go  over  Mr.  Lincoln's 
meager  effects  and  bring  away  anything  of  value. 

At  the  doctor's  home  the  almost  helpless  man  was 
made  as  comfortable  as  possible.  He  was  inclined 
to  become  excited  over  Avhat  had  happened,  but  the 
doctor  administered  an  opiate,  and  he  soon  after 
sank  into  a  gentle  slumber. 

When  Andy  reached  the  house  some  time  later 
his  face  betoken  that  he  had  something  of  unusual 
interest  to  tell.  He  bore  a  package  of  papers  in  his 
hand,  and  these  he  handed  over  to  Matt. 

"  I  found  then  stuck  in  the  mattress,"  he  said. 
"  They  are  papers  in  reference  to  the  mining  shares 
your  father  purchased  from  Randolph  Fenton.  From 
what  you  have  told  me,  I  believe  Fenton  swindled 
your  father.  As  soon  as  your  father  is  well  enough 
to  be  left  I  would  send  for  that  Mr.  Gaston  and 
have  the  matter  looked  up." 

Matt  examined  the  papers  with  keen  interest. 
He  became  satisfied  that  Andy  was  right,  and  de- 
termined to  act  upon  his  suggestions. 

Dr.  Zabrinsky  was  true  to  his  word.  He  did  all 
that  was  possible  for  the  sufferer,  and  between  his 


306  THE  YOUNG  AUVTIONEFA1. 

medical  skill  and  Matt's  watchful  care,  Mr.  Lincoln 
recovered  rapidly.  Once  in  a  great  while  his  mind 
would  take  on  a  flighty  turn,  but  Matt  was  watch- 
ful and  always  calmed  him  down,  and  at  the  end  of 
six  months  the  man  whose  mind  had  been  so 
strangely  affected  was  as  rational  and  well  as  ever. 

Long  before  this  time  Matt  made  a  trip  to  Xew  j 
York  and  called  upon  Ida  Bartlett  at  her  new  place 
of   business.     They  had   a   long   conversation   con- 
cerning Randolph  Fenton  and  his  methods  of  selling 
stocks  and  shares. 

At  the  end  of  this  talk  Matt  made  inquiries  con- 
cerning Mr.  Gaston's  whereabouts.  lie  learned 
that  the  former  clerk  was  in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut, 
and  telegraphed  that  he  wished  to  see  him  without 
delay.  On  the  following  Friday  morning  Mr.  Gas- 
ton presented  himself  at  the  hotel  at  which  Matt 
was  stopping. 

The  young  auctioneer  went  over  his  entire  story 
and  produced  the  papers  which  had  been  in  his 
father's  possession.  He  promised  Gaston  a  liberal 
reward  should  they  succeed  in  forcing  Randolph 
Fenton  to  make  proper  restitution  for  a  transaction 
that  was  undoubtedly  criminal  upon  its  face. 

The  old  book-keeper  at  once  consented  to  do  what 
he  could.  He  called  in  a  lawyer  of  thorough  expe- 
rience, and  several  affidavits  were  made  out,  and  a 


THE  YOUNG  AUCTIONEER,  307 

search  made  for  Mr.  Lincoln's  rightful  shares,  for  the 
ones  Randolph  Fenton  had  assigned  to  him  had 
been  some  of  a  similar  name  but  of  far  less  value 
Then  all  hands  inarched  down  to  the  brokers  office. 

.Randolph  Fenton  was  somewhat  surprised  to  sec 
Matt,  and  he  turned  slightly  pale  when  Gaston  con 
fronted  him,  accompanied  by  the  lawyer  and  another 
man  he  knew  was  a  private  detective. 

Without  preliminaries,  the  lawyer*  explained  the 
object  of  the  visit.  As  he  proceeded  the  broker 
grew  paler  and  paler,  and  he  clutched  the  arms  of 
his  chair  nervously. 

"  You — you  are  mistaken  !?'  he  finally  gasped  out. 
"That  transaction  was  perfectly  legitimate.  This 
is  a  plot  on  the  part  of  that  man  and  that  boy  to 
ruin  my  reputation !" 

"  It  is  no  plot,  Mr.  Fertton,"  put  in  Matt.  "  For 
my  poor  father's  sake  as  well  as  my  own,  I  ask  for 
justice ;  that  is  all.  Your  actions  unbalanced  my 
father's  mind,  and  if  I  wanted  to  be  hard-hearted  T 
would  not  rest  until  you  were  behind  the  prison 
bars." 

"  Stuff  and  nonsense !  This  is  all  a  put-up 
job " 

"Don't  get  excited,  Mr.  Fenton,"  said  the  lawyer 
pointedly.  "The  boy  is  letting  you  down  very 
easily,  to  my  way  of  thinking." 


308  THE  TO  UNO  AUCTIONEER. 

"  Tut-tut !  I  won't  listen  to  a  word !  I  want  you 
all  to  leave  this  office  and  stop  this  farce !" 

"If  we  have  to  leave  without  satisfaction  you 
will  go  with  Mr.  Briarly,  the  detective,"  cried  Matt. 
"  Now  you  can  take  your  choice.  I  am  no  longer 
your  office  boy,  and  you  cannot  twist  me  around 
your  finger." 

These  words  filled  Kandolph  Fenton  with  rage. 
He  wanted  to  abuse  everybody  within  hearing,  but 
both  the  lawyer  and  the  detective  cut  him  short  by 
threatening  him  with  immediate  arrest.  Finally  he 
asked  for  time  in  which  to  consider  the  case. 

This  was  granted,  but  after  they  left  Matt  in- 
structed the  detective  to  keep  a  close  watch  on  the 
man,  fearful  that  Fenton,  who,  according  to  Mr. 
Gaston's  statement,  was  in  bad  favor  in  a  number  of 
places,  would  convert  what  securities  he  held  into 
cash  and  leave  for  parts  unknown. 

It  was  well  that  Matt  did  this,  for  on  the  follow- 
ing night  the  detective  captured  the  broker  just  as 
the  latter  was  boarding  a  train  at  the  Grand  Cen- 
tral depot.  He  had  a  satchel  full  of  money  with 
him,  and  in  his  card  case  was  found  a  railroad  ticket 
for  Montreal,  Canada.  Eandolph  Fenton  was  placed 
under  arrest,  and  then  all  of  his  many  misdeeds 
were  thoroughly  investigated  and  exposed. 

Out  of  the  wreckage  the  swindling  broker  had 


THE  YO UNO  AUCTIONEER.  309 

left  behind  him  Matt  was  able  to  secure  three- 
fourths  of  the  rightful  shares  of  mining  stock  for 
his  father.  These  shares  had  gone  up  in  value  and 
were  found  to  be  worth  close  on  to  fifty-eight  thou- 
sand dollars.  To  Matt,  who,  in  his  wanderings 
around,  had  learned  the  true  value  of  money,  it 
seemed  a  fortune. 

"  You  won't  want  any  more  of  the  auction  busi- 
ness," said  Andy.  "  You  will  have  your  hands  full 
taking  care  of  that  money  and  your  father." 

"  Yes,  I  guess  my  days  as  a  young  auctioneer  are 
over,"  returned  Matt.  "I  want  to  get  a  better  edu- 
cation if  possible,  and  thus  fit  myself  for  something 
higher  in  life." 

"  What  about  your  share  in  the  business  ?  I  can't 
buy  it  out  just  yet." 

'•  I  have  talked  it  over  with  father,  Andy,  and  I 
have  decided  to  make  you  a  present  of  it.  You  de- 
serve it,  for  ever  since  we  met  you  have  been  a  real 
brother  to  me.  Make  what  you  can  out  of  the  busi- 
ness, and  if  you  ever  get  in  a  tight  corner  don't 
hesitate  to  come  to  me,  and  I  will  do  what  I  can  for 
you." 

Andy  demurred  at  Matt's  generosity,  but  was 
finally  persuaded  to  accept  the  gift.  He  settled  in 
Middletown  for  the  winter  and  did  very  well.  In 
the  spring  he  started  on  his  travels  again,  and  by 


-10  TBE  rOUITQ  AUCnOFEER. 

fall  bad  made  enough  to  open  a  good-sized  picture 
and  art  store  in  New  York  City  on  Fourteenth 
street.  lie  still  runs  the  store  and  is  making  money 
fast,  much  to  the  disgust  of  Caleb  Gulligan,  who 
grows  poorer  each  year. 

After  Matt  left  the  auction  business  he  settled 
down  with  his  father  in  a  quiet  home  on  the  Hudson 
River,  not  many  miles  above  the  great  metropolis. 
He  took  care  of  his  father  until  the  next  autumn, 
when  Mr.  Lincoln  felt  sufficiently  recovered  to  go 
into  business,  and  purchased  the  controlling  interest 
in  a  large  flour  and  feed  establishment,  The  busi 
ness  is  very  prosperous.  Ida  Bartlett  is  stenogra- 
pher and  confidential  clerk  to  the  firm,  and  has  a 
well-paying  position,  which  will  remain  open  for 
her  so  long  as  the  kind-hearted  young  woman  cares 
to  occupy  it.  Matt  did  not  fail  to  keep  his  former 
determination  to  give  her  a  handsome  Christmas 
■  resent,  and  the  two  are  likely  to  be  life-long  friends. 

As  for  Matt  himself,  he  has  just  finished  a  course 
at  Columbia  College,  and  next  month  will  become 
the  junior  partner  in  a  promising  young  law  firm. 
Let  us  wish  him  every  success,  for  the  honest  and 
fearless  lad  who  was  once  the  Young  Auctioneer 
deserves  it. 

THE    END. 


University  of 
Connecticut 

Libraries 


